


The Raza Pack

by Lady_Akuma_Wolf



Series: The Raza Pack [2]
Category: Dark Matter (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Don't piss off or threaten the Raza Pack, Experimentation, F/M, Kidnapping, M/M, Mating Bond, Pack Dynamics, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-21 08:47:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 23
Words: 71,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6045358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Akuma_Wolf/pseuds/Lady_Akuma_Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After crash-landing on an inhabited ABO (Alpha, Beta, Omega) Planet, the Raza Crew start to feel the effects of the planet, and start to change; some in ways that aren't surprising, some... beyond shocking. </p><p>They might be safe from the Galactic Authority, but there are other, local threats to their crew - erm, pack, and several someones are going to need to learn to leave well enough alone and it's a very bad idea to piss of the Alphas of the Raza Pack.</p><p>Sequel to Our Light (read first)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I did iiiittt!! Enjoy!
> 
> Trigger Warning: none.

Three and Six returned quickly with weapons for everyone while the Android continued to relay any information she could.

"Anything else you can tell us?" Two asked the Android.

The Android shrugged. "With people who are Alphas, there are different levels of dominance. Most are higher levels, and don't like taking orders from other Alphas; it goes against their instincts to bow to authority, unless the other Alpha is more dominant than they are. Depends on the Alpha, of course."

"So that's why there aren't many Alphas in the police force?" One asked. "They don't like taking orders from each other?"

"Yes. Sometimes, an Alpha who is able to control themselves, and/or is taking suppressants to suppress his or her hormones and they're admitted. But typically they either don't bother, or they go into the private sector."

"His or her? So females can be Alphas too?" Three demanded with a sideways look at Two.

"While it is much more common for men than women to be Alphas, it does happen in around 30% of Alphas. Betas and Omegas are more even in their numbers." The Android told him calmly as she looked down at the display in front of her. "Party of eight approaching us from the city."

Two nodded. "Let's go see what they want." She held up a hand when Three started to argue. "Later. If you want to take off because you now don't want to take orders or stay with us, fine. Stay at least long enough to see what they want, then you can do whatever the hell you want."

While Two led the crew to the gangway the Android informed them the approaching group of people were armed. Grateful they were all armed with at least one gun, even Five; Three was over-armed, but he typically was. He had a larger gun strapped within easy reach on his back as well as two holsters on each thigh and under each arm. Four was also wearing (at least) two bladed weapons.

  
Two figures, one male and one female, lead the rest of the armed soldiers from the nearby city, guns in their holsters, wearing body armor covering their chests, legs, and arms, as well as helmets. All of them also were wearing hooded cloaks; one of them also had a cloth wrapped around his or her face, leaving only their eyes visible. They all stopped a couple yards from the Raza crew.

"Well met, all of you," the lead man said with a slight bow of the head. "My name is Sargent Lucas of the Yvarit City Guard, and a Beta. I wish we were welcoming you to our city under more pleasant circumstances, but welcome to all of you nonetheless."

The lead woman didn't introduce herself at first, eyes flickering from one Raza crew member to the next. "Colonel Marica of the Yvarit City Guard, Alpha." She said finally; she was the voice from the earlier transmition. "We come in peace, as long as you uphold it as well. Do you have any questions currently about what being on an ABO planet means?"

Two stepped forward. "We know that basics, that you're divided up into Alphas, Betas, and Omegas, and we know a little about each group. That's about it."

Marica nodded, unsurprised. "I can answer any questions you each might have, in detail. But maybe it would be best for all of us to return to the city where you can be comfortable." She paused in speaking when the face-wrapped soldier came up and whispered something in her ear. Her head whipped around to seek out Five, who was standing slightly behind Four; whether that was her idea or Four, it wasn't clear.

"What happened to you?" Marica asked Five gently.

"Someone attacked me. He... he's gone, now." Five replied, eyeing the woman uncertainly.

"Was it one of them?" Marica waved her hand at the rest of the crew, ignoring the angered looks they all shot at her.

Five shook her head. "No!"

"I know you feel like you need to tell me this, but if it was one of them, you can tell me. You don't need to listen to them."

"It wasn't one of my crew," Two said angrily before Five could reply. "Her attacker was a guest on our ship. When I caught him, I shot him through the head, and the man who brought him on board was gutted and spaced."

Marica eyed Two speculatively. The masked figure behind her spoke to her in what was probably the native language.

"Our Reader says that might be the case, but there is way too much tension and fear in your Omega for us to feel comfortable leaving her here with you and your men-"

She was cut off when Three and Four stepped in front of Five, the rest of the crew closing ranks.

"Five stays here, with us," Four snarled softly.

"We don't know you, but we know enough about you and your kind to know she might not be safe with your Alphas, or any one else." Three said, hefting the gun previously on his back. "You try and take her, you won't like what happens."

"We have laws, and if there is even a remote change an Omega, especially one who is damaged might be in danger, we must take him or her into protective custody - "

Two stepped forward until she was in front of the crew, eyes flashing in rage. "Five is ours. She will stay here, with us, where she is safe. I don't know about you and your laws, but on my ship, among my crew, she is far safer than with you. _None_  of us would even think about forcing her or hurting her. If you think you can take all of us, and take her away from us, go ahead. Try it."

Wordlessly Three, Four and Six came level with Two, weapons pointed at the threat. Behind them, One grabbed Five's arm to keep her from getting in the middle of the growing confrontation.

Marica didn't react to their drawing of weapons, but the rest of her group did. Instead, her eyes drifted over the crew and landed on One. The Reader whispered in her ear again, pointing at each member of the Raza.

"Tell your Reader if they can't share with everyone, to not speak. It's not polite to whisper, especially in front of guests." Two said hotly. "You're not taking Five, or any other member of my crew away from the rest of us."

Marica raised her hands in a calming gesture. "We merely wish to protect any damaged Omega; like I told you, we have laws against such treatment in the cities, and enforce them whenever we can. My Reader was merely telling me what she senses from each of you, and is surprised to find a group with as many Alphas as your does, and are getting along under stress and in the face of a threat as well as yours is."

"Your Reader can tell what we all are?" Two asked.

"Three Alphas, a Beta, an Omega, and an Inquara, or one shifting between Beta and Omega."

"Who is what, and why is it so shocking for three Alphas to do... whatever it is we're supposedly doing?" Demanded Three, waving the overly large gun around.

Marica pointed at Two, Three and Four. "You three are Alphas," she pointed to Six, "Beta," her finger moved to Five, "Omega," and onto One. "Inquara."

"It is unusual for two Alphas to seem fine with sharing a space with another Alpha, let alone between three. And add in a Beta, an Omega and an Inquara?" Lucas shook his head in disbelief. "Why do you think the Galactic Authority don't come here? So many Alphas and Betas, with their dominance instincts being triggered in an enclosed space? They tear each other to bits, if they can't control themselves. You all are doing remarkably well. Even letting one Alpha mainly speak for all of you - "

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a male voice cooed.

The Raza crew and the group from the city turned to face the new group coming up the beach, dressed similarly to the city group in armor and hooded cloaks the color of the sands between the ocean and the city. Lucas wrinkled his nose. "Non-suspressed Alphas," He said softly to the Raza crew. "Gods they reek."

A group of fifteen men arrayed themselves behind another man. Tall, shaved head, muscled under dirty clothes, he leered up at the crew of the Raza. "I see the welcoming party has already arrived from the city to yap at you like well-trained pups. Well let me say this; I have a better deal. We will trade you all the parts you need, and assist with the labor in repairing your ship. Then, if you wish, you can be on your way."

"Don't listen to him," Marica ordered, her eyes still fixed on the newcomers. "He wants - ''

"Aww, Marica, such hate. And here I thought we had something." He interrupted, turning to Two. "Well?"

"What is it you want in trade?" Two asked suspiciously.

"Just your Omegas."

Four shoved Five towards the inside of the ship; Three did the same with One. "Over our dead bodies," Four ground out, reading his gun; Three already had his out and pointed at the newcomer.

"Aww, don't be like that. You're the mercenary crew of the Raza, so what's wrong with this deal to you? I don't want to waste our ammo on someone who could be our ally."

Two ignored the startled look Marica shot her. "We're not like that anymore. You're not taking any of my crew."

"Why not? You've just arrived here, so you can't be that attached to them yet, though looks like at least one or two of you has gone to town on the smaller bitch. The bigger bitch must be better trained to be fucked - " a shot hit the sand between the man's legs. he jumped back in surprise.

Three, his hands shaking, stepped forward, Four half a step behind him. "You keep your mouth and the rest of you off of our Omegas," he hissed. "Next time, I won't miss your precious little man parts." He smirked. "Or maybe I should just tell Four to use one of his swords."

The Alpha sneered, composure regained. "Try it, boys. Try it, and see what happens. You think we're the only ones who trade in Omegas? You think we're the worst ones out there? 'Cause we're not. Others will just take what they want and kill you, if you're lucky. If you're not..." he shrugged. "I'm sure the city's lap dogs can explain."

With one last sneer and wave the Alpha left, the rest of his group falling into place behind him.

Once the group vanished down the beach, Two whirled to face Marica and Lucas. "What the hell did he mean?"

Marica winced. "Some Alphas are more... traditional. An Alpha takes an Omega as a mate, and that Omega is supposed to stay at home, be obedient, produce offspring, cook, clean, pleasure their Alpha..." She trailed off. "Things have been changing. There are Omega Protection Acts in place, giving them some protection, at least in the cities. Most Alphas take suppressants to keep their hormones under control if they cannot."

"So in other words, it's pretty much legal for them to rape their Omegas?" Two asked, incredulous.

" Yes, sadly, whether with or without a mating bond. Here, in the cities, at least, unmated Omegas are given a collar to show they're not claimed but are protected by the local government. Doesn't stop all of the irresponsible Alphas, but it does stop most."

A flash of color announced the arrival of Five and One. The Reader watched with interest as Four checked on Five, and Two and Three both checked on One, though Three also glanced over at Five; Three and Two also kept glancing distrustfully at the strangers.

"So you are all mercenaries?" Lucas asked. "Even your little Omega?"

"We used to be." Two said shortly. "Not anymore, not really anyway."

"What Two means is we're no longer bloodthirsty bounty hunters." Three said easily.

Marica eyed them suspiciously. "And what changed that? Is Two really your name?"

Two turned around to face her crew; all but Three nodded or shrugged, saying it was up to her to tell them what had happened; Three shook his head. "We don't know these people! For all we know it could be a trap, they could be working with those thugs who wanted to trade a repaired ship for One and Five!"

"No, they weren't. Couldn't you smell her disgust for the thugs?" She halted, understanding what she had just said. "Is enhanced smell and recognition of hormones related to emotions also part of the deal with your atmosphere?"

"Yes," Marica replied. "I'm sure you could all tell, at least to a point. You all felt the threat from them, did you not?"

"Yeah well, with what he was saying, that was rather obvious." Three spat.

"I have to agree with him on that," Six added, "We're just not used to this, so it's hard to understand a good portion of it."

"He was a threat to be dealt with." Four said firmly.

Lucas nodded. "Perhaps your... unusual genetics are allowing these developments to happen quicker. Usually scent and controlling pheromones doesn't happen until you've been here at least a month."

Three's gun, which had been pointed at the floor, came upright again. "What makes you say that about her?"

"Three, relax!" Two ordered; Three ignored her. She looked at the Reader. "You, I suppose?"

"Yes and no. Your scents are different." Marica told her calmly, ignoring the gun Three still had on her. "While we have not run into anyone like you before, you are still human, and obviously affected by our planet's atmosphere. That is enough proof for us."

"Right..." Two said slowly. She sighed; the last few days were exhausting. They all needed to rest. Coming to a decision, she gave them the overview of what had happened since they had awoken in the cryos to present, and introducing everyone by their 'real' - their number - names.

"With all of that, thrusting you all into such events... I can understand why you didn't want to trust us with this," Marica said once Two had finished. "Two, crew of the Raza, thank you for sharing your story. I would like to formally invite you into the City of Yvarit. You and your Omegas will be under our formal protection. After you are rested, we can discuss repairs to your ship, provisions, and anything else you man require."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so sorry it took so long!! Things in my life are FINALLY starting to settle down, and I have had the time and ambition to write. So... tada?
> 
> Trigger Warning: mention of non-con, abuse

The Android volunteered to stay and get a head start on repairs to the Raza, at least ones which did not require any additional supplies, which would be gathered and taken out to the ship within the next two days. Marica assured Two and Three that their comm-links would hold well past the far end of the city, so they could remain updated on the repair updates.

There wasn't much for the six to gather, beyond Three's guns, Four's sword and a variety of smaller weapons for the rest, barring Five, as Omegas were not allowed to carry firearms. Beyond a couple changes of clothes, everyone was ready to go to the city within half an hour.

Three and Six voiced concerns (to put in mildly in Three's case) about going into the city and leaving the ship, not to mention going into a strange place, forcing Two to point out that they all needed to stay together, and they went into strange and possibly fatally dangerous places all the time, so this should be nothing to worry about. She also pointed out that the more of them there were to protect One and Five, the better. That statement quieted down all but a few mutterings from Three.

When they were ready to go, Lucas brought a handful of collars from his backpack. "It would be best if both of your Omegas went into the city collared," he said when everyone stared at him. "It marks them as belonging to someone, and as being off limits."

"In other words, it marks them as someone's property," Two snapped.

"In a manner of speaking, yes, I suppose." Lucas replied calmly. "But it is how things are done here, and it will keep your Omegas safe, which I am sure you all want, correct?"

At Two's encouraging nod, Five stepped hesitantly forward, arms wrapped protectively around her middle, only to halt a few steps from the Beta male. When it was clear she wouldn't move closer, Four joined her, murmuring in a low voice to her before choosing a plum colored leather collar from Lucas' hands and fastening it loosely around her bruised throat with gentle hands.

One took a little longer, and eventually Three had to drag his frienemy to the Beta and without giving the Inquara a chance to pick out his own, plucking a dark brown collar, also leather, and turned to One. When he started to argue, Three threatened, "Keep it up, and I'll change it for the pink one!"

One, wisely, shut up.

OoOoO

The walk to the city walls took almost an hour. Five seemed to be losing energy fast, and kept stumbling over her own feet, but shook her head when Four offered to carry her; Marica called a halt every ten minutes after that. Surprisingly, none of her Alphas and Betas seemed to mind the pace, or the stops. They stayed on their feet, sharing their water, or dried fruit, or guarding the group with little words spoken between them, and no animosity towards the newcomers; Two and Three were watching and waiting for it to happen, but it never did.

Once inside the walls, Three eyed the people they passed by on the streets untrustingly, waiting for someone to step a toe out of line regarding their group, because unlike the soldiers who had come for them, some of the people along the road sent his fighter's brain and awareness into overdrive.

While some men - and a few women - did pay more attention to their group, and especially One and Five, no one tried anything (yet); he knew it was only a matter of time, given the looks a few of the men he supposed were Alphas, given how they held themselves with authority - whether they should have it or not; not to mention how they were looking little Five up and down. He also saw a few people he supposed were Omegas, with their wide variety of colors, including the white collars, which Lucas told them meant the Omegas were unclaimed by mate or family and were under the protection of the Government.

"This way," Marica said, leading their group into a multi-level building with a guard on either side of the door. "This is where we have living quarters for people who are new and learning how to adjust to life on our planet stay until they are ready to move forward."

"We won't be separated," Two informed her immediately.

Marica smiled. "Not to worry, Two. Half of the second floor is set up with multiple living quarters connected to a shared living and eating room. It has already been set up for your arrival."

Lucas and the rest of the crew left them at the base of the building; Marica led them to the elevator, pointing of the two staircases on the way over which also led to all floors.

The furnishings were simple, bordering on clinical, Three observed. Lots of white, black and steel. It was very open, good lines of sight which he appreciated to no end, with enough furniture and doors leading off to other rooms to give a variety of exit points and cover, all of which would have to be carefully observed later on. The far side of the main room was a wall of floor to ceiling windows which looked out to a balcony, and out over the west side of the city.

The kitchen appeared to be already stocked - with real food! - much to the entire crew's relief. After living on protein packs and whatever else they could scrounge up, this was as close to heaven as one could get after crash-landing on an ABO planet and having it alter your personality and heighten your senses and... well, you get the idea.

"There are more than enough bedrooms for each of you, though the beds are large enough to be shared," Marica was explaining as the crew took in their surroundings. "I will ask that you limit yourselves to this floor, or at least this building, as you are newcomers to our planet and still adjusting. I do not want to get a message that one of you tangled with one of the native Alphas, or our law enforcement."

Three and Two grimaced at the thought of being confined. Ignoring them, Marica continued, "Five and One, I will ask that you do not leave this wing without one of your group's Alphas, even to visit the rest of the floor. I do not wish to see either of you... taken advantage of."

Standing next to the windows and balcony, Five shivered at the Alpha's words; Two growled softly but held her tongue. One slowly put his arm around the Omega, and when she didn't pull back, held her to his side.

Across the room, Four swallowed a growl of his own; a possessive streak he hadn't been aware of. Wonderful. It was easy enough to stifle, at least for now. It helped, he supposed, that One's touch had been one purely of comfort, and not sexual; he wasn't a threat. If it had been Six, or Three, he probably would not have been able to rein in his anger.

Six watched everything from his spot near Marica, including her small smile at the microexpressions on the rest of his pack as she observed their reactions to their newly awaken instincts. "You said you would answer questions we had," He pointed out, breaking the silence.

She nodded. "I will. I want to give you some time adjust to your new place, and to rest -" 

"We need answers now, not later." Two interrupted. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I don't think any of us want to wait for answers."

Marica eyed them for a few moments before nodding. "Let me make a call, then I will be happy to answer any questions any of you have." When she reached for a hand-held comm device, Three drew one of his guns. "Who're you calling, huh?"

"Just my Omega, Jared. To tell him where I am and to please bring us all some food. He enjoys cooking, and has helped me in situations similar to yours before, especially when there is an Omega male in the group."

Still suspicious, Three lowered his weapon but didn't holster it. "I still don't like any of this," he muttered to Two. "We should never have left the ship."

"Part of me agrees with you, but the rest of me feels we are all better here, all safer." Two replied softly. "What if that group of rogue Alphas came back, or another, worse group for One and Five? At least here we know they'd have a much harder time of getting to us, and we've been allowed to keep our weapons, AND been offered assistance with repairing the Raza. We're just making the best of a very messed up situation, Three. Deal with it."

Three grunted in half-hearted agreement before continuing to mutter unintelligibly under his breath as he started exploring the rest of the living quarters with Four.

OoOoO

Five and One, having chosen to explore the kitchen and found fresh fruit juice in the cold box, brought a jug and cups for everyone out to the sitting area as they waited for Marica's Omega, Jared to bring food.

"How are you, an Alpha, in such a high ranking in the police force? I thought Alphas weren't allowed to be in positions like that." Six asked Marica, half-empty cup turning slowly in his large hands.

"I am on suppessants, even though I don't technically need them, and have a quarterly mandatory psych eval," Marica replied. "I am also under constant heavy scrutiny for any... changes in my behavior or work. It is unusual for an Alpha to be in a position such as mine, and I worked very hard to prove I could handle myself on the job and the job itself with no issues."

"I still don't get what the big deal of Alphas being on the force is," Three stated, leaning back in his seat, swirling his own drink; he had found something stronger than fruit juice tucked in an upper cupboard. Not much, as it was already almost gone, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

Marica turned to face him. "Let me give you an example. Who would you rather have on the police force, being called to deal with a reported underground black market Omega auction, where Omegas are sold to the highest bidder, usually an unsupressed, abusive Alpha, filled with scared, hurt, abused and broken Omegas? Someone like me, who is in control of themselves, or someone who at best would willingly be bribed to ignore what he sees, and worst attacks an Omega, like that Alpha from earlier, by your ship?"

Under half-lidded eyes, Three looked from One, who was looking a little more... fragile? delicate? - than he remembered the young man being, to Five, her bruises standing out starkly against her pale skin from the attack that had been, gods, was it barely two days ago? Some of the bruises were even as dark as the plum collar Four had helped her pick out. Picturing an out of control Alpha, like the one who had wanted to trade parts and repairs for her and One, or worse, finding someone like them, in that situation, and harming them further? Hell no.

"Guess it makes sense, when you put it like that," he acknowledged, raising his glass in a half-hearted mock of a toast before drinking the glass dry.

"And yet it seems there are a lot of them in the private sector, at least from what our Android could find out." Four noted. "Are they as tightly regulated as the police force?"

Marica shook her head. "The reputable ones are, at least somewhat, though they mainly follow their own internal regulations and not the laws followed by the police force, since the laws only apply to us. But that leaves countless other, smaller groups and corps, and those are the problem. They can range from bodyguards for rich Alphas who don't like to follow the laws, to snatchers, who search for Omegas to take to underground auctions, to anything else unsavory you can imagine."

"And they get away with it?!" Two exclaimed, shocked.

"The laws only cover so much, and there are enough traditionalists to keep things from moving forwards in Parliment." Marica replied calmly, despite the flashing in her eyes. "Not to mention the Alphas and Betas on the force who are also traditionalists. Us 'revolutionists' as we're called, are a minority, but we're growing. It helps that more and more siblings are turning out to be different. So say an Alpha turns out to have an Omega younger sibling, that has been known to change their minds. It did for my Jared. His older brother, Dean, is an Alpha, and they were both raised by a very traditionalist father. Once Jared presented as Omega, and their father started planning on auctioning him off, Dean took him and ran."

A knock on the door stopped any further explanation or questions. Three leapt to his feet and drew out the same smaller gun he'd threatened Marica with before; the rest of the crew got to their feet, ready for yet something else to go wrong.

"Marica, hun? It's Jared. I come bearing food and drink."

Three opened the door, only to be confronted by a muscled man taller than he was by at least a head; soft hazel eyes framed by chin length brown hair eyed the gun without fear. "Put that away, it's not nice to threaten the person bringing fresh food and alcohol."

Three immediately lowered his weapon; Jared had, apparently, said the magic word. He went to step aside to allow the tall man in, then froze. "What in the name of hells?!"

Four's sword slid from its sheath with a soft whistle; guns appeared in everyone's hands but Five; hers held a small knife that had somehow found its way into her boot.

Marica growled lowly as she climbed to her feet, fists clenched. "I would appreciate it if you all would not threaten my mate or my pups. You are making it very hard to control myself."

Out of all the Raza crew, Five was the only one who didn't seem surprised when Jared walked in; she stepped between her friends to start getting plates and silverware and placing them ready on the counter. Everyone else, however, stared in stunned silence at the very pregnant male Omega.

"Wait, so men here can get pregnant?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am basing Jared and Dean off of Supernatural. :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEEEERE YA GOOO
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING:(unintentional) self harm, drinking, mild references to non-con.

  
"Wait, so men here can get pregnant?!"

What followed over the excellently prepared food Jared brought was the strangest any of the crew had ever had - at least as far as they all remembered.

"Yes, Omega males have female reproductive organs as well as a penis." Marica explained patiently for the third time. "Yes, female Alphas have male reproductive organs as well as female ones; there is a penis in place of a clitoris."

Three, now rather drunk, shook his head. "What a weird - hic - what a weird con-concept," he slurred, throwing an arm around One. "Don' ya think, One? You-you're the on hooking up with our Two, think - think you'll still be into her when she has a cock?"

One shoved the offending arm off of him. "Get off, you reek!" Three just grinned and took another swig of his drink.

Two was looking rather uncomfortable. "Does that always happen to female Alphas?"

Marica shrugged. "In nearly all cases, I'd estimate around 97%. The remaining three percent are Guardvuk Alphas; they typically do not take a mate, and do not have pups of their own, though they on occasion do choose to do so. More often they oversee a group of Betas and Omegas and protect them, forming a pack. They are also have better control of their emotions and hormones than regular female Alphas due to the lack of testosterone in their system."

"How long does it take for these physical changes to start happening?"

"About a month, give or take a week or two, at least from some you. Male Alphas and female Omegas don't go through much of a physical change. I can get you all hormone suppressors to help with ease the first heat and rut, but they will still happen."

"I take it when that happens, the hormones overpower the brain's thought processes and willpower, and take over?" asked Four.

Marica nodded. "In a manner of speaking, yes; that is our biology. Heat and rut almost always occur when the individuals, especially the Omegas are most fertile. Oftentimes the Alpha's rut can be triggered when their Omega goes into heat."

Four grimaced, gaze shifting briefly over to Five before looking back at Marica. "Are there safe rooms here, or somewhere, where if needed we can stay in until it is over?"

"Yes there are a couple on this level you are all more than welcome to use." Marica replied. "They lock from the inside and I can post Beta guards outside of the door, if desired."

Six frowned thoughtfully. "Why Betas? Couldn't they be triggered by the heat or rut and go into it themselves?"

Marica shook her head. "No. Betas, while they can have or produce pups, do not go into heat or rut cycles."

"Lucky them," Jared commented. "A good friend of my brother, Benny, is a Beta, but a very..." he paused, searching for the correct word.

"Headstrong? Pig-headed? Alpha?" Marica suggested, chuckling at the last suggestion.

Jared nodded, almost sheepishly. "You could say that. No offense, Alpha." He glanced at the other three Alphas in the room. "None to you, either. Its just... Benny has a little sister, Charlie, who turned out to be an Omega. Their father almost rivals my father in his traditionalistic views..."

When the male Omega trailed off, Marica placed her hand on his knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. When he nodded, she spoke. "Charlie was being sold to a bastard of an Alpha over twice her age by her father. When she found out, she tried to commit suicide; she slit her wrists, and hung herself for good measure. Benny came home and found her, and brought her to an Omega clinic; it's how he met Dean, Jared's brother. Benny hadn't known about their father's plans for his beloved sister, and he wasn't happy about it, to say the least."

"Nothing was ever proven," Jared pointed out. "Samuel did love to drink, almost as much as he loved to pick fights."

"He died in a fricking bar fight?" One asked incredulously.

"He deserved worse." Marica replied coldly. "Luckily, Charlie became her brother's ''property'', and he dissolved the contract. She now works with Dean at his hospital, in the pediatric wing. In her free time she designs computer programs and machines for the hospital."

"Sounds like someone you'd get along with, Five." Six said with a chuckle.

Five, curled up on an overstuffed, over large chair on the edge of the group, was asleep.

Conversation trailed along about the city and places to visit after that; it didn't take long for the crew of the Raza to plan excursions to resupply and explore. One assisted Jared in the cleanup after draping a blanket over the sleeping Five, as well as the now unconscious Three, who was snoring on and off.

When Marica mentioned a drinking establishment nearby, famed for their swordsmanship performers, even Four was able to be convinced to check it out after One volunteered to stay behind and watch over Five (and the unconscious Three), as well as the promise that there would be guards outside their wing.

"It was nice to meet you, One," Jared said with a smile as he shook the other man's hand. "Please extend my farewells to Five and Three as well. I'm sure I'll see you all again soon."

"likewise," replied One, still somewhat off-kilter at the thought and sight of a pregnant man, no matter how nice he was. "See you around, Jared."

"We'll keep our comms open," Two informed him before she walked out the door after the rest of the crew. "if anything, anything seems weird or off, let us know, and we'll haul ass back here. In the meantime" - she handed him a gun and spare cartridge - "just in case."

OoOoO

One locked the door, wishing it also had a deadbolt; anyone good enough good hack or override a computerized lock, and the door swung outwards so there was no way to bar it from the inside. He shook his head after he finished that thought; everyone in the crew was rubbing off on him, he noted with a small smile. Useful, but somewhat aggravating at the same time.

A quick, thorough exploration of the suite noted a couple of Five-sized vent openings, and even one most of the rest of them could fit into, if they had to, only Six would have real trouble. Well, him and Three, if he insisted on bringing his bigger guns. The patio doors also locked - again, computerized only - but there didn't seem to be any way but from inside the suite to reach said patio.

There were five large bedrooms, all with beds that would fit at least two people. Three bathrooms were completely furnished with towels, soap, and personal hygiene items. One immediately gathered all of the shaving razors and tucked them into his bag, not wanting to leave anything to chance around the troubled Five. He would tell the others what he had done later.

After checking on Five and Three, he decided a shower was in order, grabbing a change of clothes and setting them on the sink.

It felt _amazing_ , and _clean_. A shower with real water, not recycled who knows how many times on the Raza, and there was seemingly no end to the hot water. It was heavenly. But, eventually, One decided he'd been in there long enough, shampooed his hair before one final rinse and stepping out.

He was just finishing getting dressed when someone groaned from the main living area, followed by a series of half-formed, half garbled curses.

OoOoO

It was the pounding headache that woke him. Three groaned as he gingerly touched his head; what the hells?!

Oh yeah. That alcohol. However much he's had to drink, even before that pregnant guy - Jarvy? John? Jared? Think it was that last one... anyway, he'd brought more.

He pushed himself into a kind of sitting position, head in his lap. Then he noticed the lack of noise, beyond water - rain? Was someone showering? Whichever it was, it was loud.

He forced himself to look up; luckily someone had been kind enough to dim the lights. Five was still asleep, awkwardly curled in her overlarge chair; her forehead wrinkled as she dreamed. No one else was in sight, but a light was on in the bathroom; someone was showering. That explained the noise.

Just as he was about to drag himself into the kitchen - water, coffee, to throw up, he wasn't sure - a whimper dragged his attention back to Five. The blanket previously covering her was on the floor. She was curled with her knees drawn to her chest; her bandaged wrists were pressed tightly together against the side of her face not pressed into the chair seat, nails from one hand digging into the back of the other hand so hard even in his hung over state he could see a drop of blood trailing down her slim hand.

He glanced towards the bathroom; whomever was still in there was still showering. Damn it. As annoying - or so he told himself - it was having to deal with a traumatized teen girl having a nightmare, the thought to just ignore her and continue on to the kitchen never crossed his mind. On drunken feet Three stumbled over to kneel next to the girl. "Kid. Hey, kid, wake up."

No response, beyond a single tear. He could smell the salt in it, and in the blood leaking down her hand. That helped his foggy brain catch up with what his nose was noticing; fear. She stunk of fear, among other things. How he knew it was fear, who knew. But something inside her head was scaring her.

That wasn't allowed. She wasn't supposed to be scared. He shook her shoulder gently. "Five, c'mon, wake up. You're just dreaming; its not real."

Well, then again, he thought, maybe it was, to her. Whether she was still dreaming her own dreams or memories, or reliving one of someone else on the crew, how was he to know?

With the back of his fingers, Three wiped away the lone tear as it trailed past the visible portion of her face. "I can't fight your dreams for you, kid. I can only protect you when you're awake, so wake up. Please!"

A soft, swift inhalation told him she was awake when he went to touch her cheek again, as well as the subtle flinch when his skin met hers; he removed his hand and leaned back against the low table in front of her chair to give her some space.

"Three?" she asked softly.

"Yup, that's me," said Three with weak grin as the nausea started creeping up the back of his throat.

She sat up cautiously. "Where is everyone?"

"Dunno. Probably went out to explore without us. You were sleeping and I was..." he trailed off.

Five chuckled softly. "You're looking a little green." she got up, ignoring the blood on the back of her hand and grabbed an empty waste bin next to the wall and handed it to him, just in time as the contents of his stomach, a mix of alcohol and food - but mainly alcohol - came back up.

OoOoO

The groaning turned out to be Three as he dry heaved over a waste bin; Five was perched on the edge of her chair with her hand on his back.

"Awake, are you?" One asked, a little more loudly than strictly necessary as he walked past the - mostly - upright Three. Three's only response was to flip the younger man off. One shared a silent laugh with Five over Three's lowered head as he walked into the kitchen, finally taking pity on him and brewed a single serving of extra dark coffee before setting it next to Three on the low table.

"Where'd everyone go?" Three asked somewhat coherently after a couple healthy sips.

"Marica said something about an eating establishment with especially good drinks, and a swordsmanship performance. That got even Four roped into going. You looked like you'd had more than enough alcohol for the evening, so they left you and Five in my care." Replied One with a smirk.

"Don' need a babysitter," Three muttered as he drained the coffee cup and handed it to One without looking at him, his head back in his hand; the other hand was still wrapped around the waste bin Five had fetched for him.

"Sure you don't," One chuckled before getting another cup of coffee. "Next one you get yourself, you lazy ass. You were out for just three hours, so don't feel too bad."

Halfway through Three's fourth cup of coffee, One was sipping one of his own and Five was pouring her second glass of watermelon juice - the real stuff! - when the door lock beeped.

Five, in the kitchen, hurried over as the door swung open.

It wasn't Two, Four and Six. It wasn't even Marica or Jared.

At least six soldiers in full gear and gas masks stood there. That was all they could see before two smoking cans were thrown into the room.  
  
"Five RUN!" One shouted as he and Three ran for the back room where there was a secondary exit, gun forgotten on the table. "Two, Four, Six, somebody, come in!" One shouted over the comm.

Crackling static. Nothing.

"Two, please! We're being attacked!"

Nothing.

"Android!"

Nothing. Their attackers probably had a jammer. Glancing back, One watched Five, being closest to the gaseous cans, fall first, just as she reached the doorway to the back room.

Three fell next, trying to help One pull Five into the room, the alcohol still in his system shortening his ability to fight for a breath of air.

One fell last as he pulled Three and Five into the room and slamming the door shut. Gasping in the somewhat clear air, his vision began to tunnel. Knowing the door wouldn't hold long, he slipped his comm into a hidden pocket of his jacket, hoping one of their crewmates or the Android would be able to track them and rescue them before something too terrible happened.

The door splintered and broke, sounding far away as a soldier kicked it in.

The last thing One saw before a dark cloth bag was roughly shoved over his head was Five and Three being dragged out of the room.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet!!! AND I think I can squeeze out another good one, maybe if I am lucky yet this weekend!! WOOT!!!
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS: Kidnapping, reference to past and future non-con, forced drug use, language, and physical abuse.

  
The sharp, annoying sound of metal sliding over some sort of hard, nonmetal surface was the first sound Three heard as the thick fog around him cleared. His head gave a more than slight twinge when he tried to move; and he had thought his headache back at the living quarters, waking up somewhere between drunk and hungover had been bad.

Something - somethings, he slowly corrected himself, were digging into his body at different angles: his back and left side, especially. Whatever they were, they were cold, and unforgivingly hard.

Metal chimed again, and he groaned, "Whoe'er is making that'd be'er stop..." or at least that was what he had meant to say. Even he couldn't understand what he had muttered.

A quiet, feminine giggle from the same relative direction as the horrific noise. "I don't know what you just tried to say, Three, but you might want to give your head a minute before you try to talk, so you actually make sense this time."

He knew that voice...

Five.

Smoke.

Soldiers with guns.

Five, collapsing as she tried to run.

Helping One try and pull her to safety.

And then, nothing.

"Five?" he groaned. "You 'kay, kid?"

"Depends on your definition of fine."

That didn't sound good.

Five continued, "If your definition of fine means being knocked out with some sort of headache-inducing gas, kidnapped, locked in a cell far older than you are, Three, being chained to the wall and quite possibly experimented on, then yes, I, you and One are the picture of fine."

Despite the pain was in Three had to chuckle at her snark. Then her words sunk in.

"Wait, what?" He forced himself upright, leaning against the wall behind him, made of the same unpleasant material as the lumpy, cold floor. "Whadduya mean, kidnapped, 'speriments?"

They were in a room - cell, he corrected himself - of approximately twelve feet long by four feet wide. There were no windows, and only one lone door dead center of one of the long walls, over which was a single light bulb, its reach just barely touching him in his corner. The floor, walls, and ceiling were made only of dark gray stone, like something out of some primitive world; not something would expect from the ABO world they were on, at least not in the city. The door, at least, was modern, shining metal. There was no door handle, only a keypad side by side with a scanner. There were at least three cameras tucked in the corners of the cell.

Five was in front of the door, close to the opposite wall, shackles clamped around her slim wrists, connecting her to low down on the wall; a set was on the floor next to him, and there was another set on the far wall opposite of him, near a bucket where he supposed the smell of stale piss was coming from. She was currently attempting to pick them with one of her hair pins. She noticed him watching her, and held up the wrist she was currently working on. "How's your head?"

"Just peachy, thanks for asking," he said, deadpanned. Then his mind caught up to the fact that they were the only two in the cell. "Where's One? Have you seen him?"

Five nodded as she went back to work on her shackle, scowling at it as she worked. "Yeah, he was here. Woke up shortly after I did. Then some soldiers came and took him out, mentioned something about a lab."

Three frowned in confusion. "A lab? What are we, guinea pigs? Did they say anything else?" He didn't want to think of what might be happening to One.

Five shrugged. "Other than I'm next, no. They did want to chain you, being an Alpha and all, but someone outside the room said no, it wasn't necessary, you weren't dominant enough to be a problem."

"Seriously?!" Three exclaimed, insulted despite the situation. "Have they met me?"

Five snorted. "Apparently not. You - "

What she had been about to say was cut off by shuffling and muttered voices from the other side of the door, before the door beeped and swung inwards. Five quickly stuffed her hair pin into her boot as Three forced himself to his feet, one hand braced on the wall for support as his vision spun.

Three guards in the same gear as the ones who had kidnapped them entered the cell, minus the gas masks, guns drawn and eyes on Three; they ignored Five.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Three demanded angrily. "What the hell do you want with us?"

"Well, I do have to admit, Three, you weren't part of the plan." A familiar male voice commented from outside. "Needless to say, I overestimated how much you would drink after we left you with Marica to talk."

The speaker must have stepped enough into the light, because while Three still couldn't make out a face, Five apparently could. " _You_! How could you -" her irate comment was cut off as the speaker stepped into the cell and backhanded the more bruised side of her face, hard enough to sent her sprawling.

Rage in his veins, Three took a step towards the figure attacking Five; three guns cocked at his movement. He stopped, breathing heavily as he watched Five sit upright again, eyes trained on the ground, though he could see the hand closer to him curl into a fist.

The asshole who had hit her continued as if he hadn't stopped. "While you weren't part of the plan, I have to admit this might work out in our favor. We can study not only the properties and effectiveness of the inducer drug, but also how it can interact with interpersonal relations between non-mated Alphas and Omegas." He turned to face Three.

Three snarled wordlessly before finding his voice. " _You_. You bastard. I knew we shouldn't've trusted you and that, that-"

Lucas, dressed in far better clothes and body gear than he had earlier that day, smirked. "Oh, trust me, I am in this alone. Marica has no knowledge of my... extracurricular activities when I am off-duty. And she will remain so, because you and your Omegas will live out your lives here. You far longer than them, I can assure you. And perhaps, who knows? Perhaps you will work your way up the ranks and become one of our fine soldiers," he clapped the nearest soldier on the shoulder. "and you can find out the true bliss of being yourself, of being an Alpha, the way we were meant to be. Not the drugged down kind, but the true way."

"Go to hell," Three spat. "I'm not gonna join you and your little gang, or whatever the hell you are. We're gonna leave here. Once I get out, make sure you have plenty of your precious soldiers around you; 'cause I'm gonna kill you."

Unimpressed, Lucas said, "That's what a good number of them say, at least at first. Some hold true, while others... let's say they become more open-minded." He glanced behind him. "Oh look, it's your male Omega. Well, Inquara, but we'll see how long that'll last."

Two more soldiers entered the cell dragging a resisting One between them. They chained him to the wall with difficulty before leaving silently.  
  
"Glad to see you finally decided to join us in the realm of consciousness," One said snarkily to Three. "'bout time."

"Yeah well, you seem to have a tendency to be the first one to wake up," Three retorted as he stared at One. The younger man's lip was split and still bleeding. His left eye was swollen and bruised. There were also bruises on his upper arms, parallel to each over, as if he'd been restrained by a band across his entire body. A line of blood, now dry, ran from the crook of his elbow and down his forearm, but there was no wound.

"Not every time," One said with a chuckle, ignoring Lucas. "Five beat me to it this time." He gave her a mock salute, making his chains rattle.

"Sir?" a voice from the hallway addressed Lucas before he could take more than a step towards One, "It would be best if we could collect samples from the Alpha now, as a baseline for the rest of the tests."

"Get to it, then." Lucas ordered.

A blonde man with pale skin strode into the cell and approached Three; a dark-skinned woman followed him, bearing a tray with syringes, blood tubes, needles, and other items. One of the guards backed up until he was slightly behind Lucas to give them room.

"If you think I'm going to let you take my blood, or any other bodily fluid, you're out of your mind, Lucas!" Three spat.

"You fight us, you'll lose," Lucas warned. "That and-" he whirled, yanking Five up by her collar and slammed her into the wall, other hand holding a knife to her throat; behind him, the soldier leveled his gun at One's head. "They'll both die. One fast, one slow, right here, in front of you. And _you_ will have to choose which one gets the swift release of death. Then we'll see how long you can last before you beg for their death, and for yours."

Three clenched his fists in fury, breathing heavily, eyes flitting around the cell. There was no way he could take all of them out, and who knew if there were more outside, before either One or Five got hurt, or worse.

"Choose quickly, Three." Lucas warned, pressing the knife tip hard enough into Five's throat a drop of blood ran down her pale skin and bruises to vanish behind her collar. "Do not test my patience."

"Fine!" Three snarled, thrusting an arm out towards the doctor, or whatever he was.

Lucas smirked triumphantly. "Good choice." While he marginally eased up on the blade held to Five's throat, he didn't remove it.

The doctor clinically examined both of his arms before favoring the left. A quick swipe of a sanitizing wipe and a needle poke later, Three was several milliliters lighter of blood; it was now dispensed into five different colored tubes. He was also injected in his upper arm with something which almost instantly started to ease the pounding in his head.

"Bring that," the doctor ordered, waving a hand at Five. "I have some tests to run on it before we proceed with the test."

"Where are you taking her?" Three demanded, body shaking as he struggled to hold himself back.

Lucas ignored him, waving a soldier into the cell from the hallway with his free hand to unshackled Five, his knife never wavering from her throat until she was completely released from the wall. As soon as she was loose and in the grip of the soldier, Lucas sheathed his knife. Then he leaned forward, hand on her throat, faces close. "When they get done with you, you're mine, Omega."

Five glared at him.

Then she spat a mouth full of blood and saliva into his face.

Lucas sent her sprawling with another backhand, causing her to collapse limply on the stones near One; Three was caught and thrown bodily into the wall by the two guards as he charged without thinking. One, straining at the end of his chains was trying desperately to reach her and pull her to him before he was tasered and soldiers roughly ripped her from his grasp. Seemingly unconscious, Five was dragged limply from the room.

"She will regret her actions, as will both of you," Lucas hissed. "what they have planned for you is too kind. That is about to change!'' Seething he swept from the room, attempting to get all of the blood and spit off of his face with the back of his glove.

''Where did they take you?" Three asked One as soon as the door slammed shut behind the last soldier.

One straightened in his seated position with a wince. "Some lab full of computers, drug cabinets, and a whole bunch of other lab stuff. Others being tested on."

"Well that's a helpful description," Three growled. "How many soldiers would you say they have? Is everything underground?"

"A lot," One replied, ignoring the barbed retort about his observation skills. "Too many for the three of us to take on, even if we were heavily armed. Hell, even with the others here, it'd take a miracle for all of us to get out of here alive. Everywhere I was taken was underground."

"Dammit!" Three swore, spinning on his heel away from the younger man, hands running his face as his mind raced. There had to be a way...

"Wait, are there others here, other prisoners?"

One nodded. "Yeah. Omegas, male and female, for the most part. Occasional Alpha, too. Most of them, Alpha and Omega... they don't look very good."

Three blinked, brow furrowed as unease coiled in his gut. "What do you mean?"

One dropped his eyes to the floor. "I was lucky; all they wanted was blood, this time. Others..." he trailed off, eyes sliding shut.

Three knelt next to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, c'mon. What did you see?"

"I saw experiments, horrible, painful ones. Electro-shock; running until they passed out; cage fights, their faces and hands bloodied because that was all the weapons they had; there was room for more, as well as screened off sections in that space alone. I saw autopsies being preformed on dead people; two even on living people. I saw monitors with video feed from cells just like this one, where the occupants were screaming in pain, clawing at the walls, dead, or..." he trailed off again, swallowing hard. Voice cracking, he continued, "Or being raped by other occupants, sometimes more than one at once." his last words were just above a whisper.

The unease in Three's stomach skipped dread and went straight into horror. ''What the Hells have we been taken into?"

"You just said it; Hell." One replied, voice low and shaking. "And now they have Five in there."

OoOoO

The evening out was enjoyable, Six had to give it that. Four even got entranced with the last couple of sword dances, barely touching the fresh fruit that had been brought out for them to eat with their drinks by an Omega server as he watched with rapt attention the men and women, sometimes children performing on stage.

He couldn't really tell what Two and Marica were discussing; their faces ranged from serious to laughing and back to serious within a couple of minutes. Two was perhaps actually enjoying having a woman her own age to talk to; after all, Five and the Android were the only other two females on board. And while he knew she kept... friendly relations with both One and Three, surely it must be nice to have someone your own age and sex - sexes, now that they were stuck on an ABO planet - to talk to.

It would have been nice for the rest of their group to join them, but Three had to go and get knocked out drunk. And he couldn't really blame Five for wanting to rest. As for One... he was the closest in age to the girl, and goodness knew he and Three argued like an old married couple enough...

"You appear thoughtful," Jared murmured. "Is everything all right?"

Six shrugged and nodded. "Just thinking about One, Three and Five. Wish they could've joined us."

The Omega smiled. ''I'm sure they'll get the opportunity to, I know Marica will want to ask you and your crew out again. It's not often we get a female Alpha -"

Whatever else he had been going to say was cut off when Two broke off mid-sentence, looking off to the side and down, as if listening to something no one else could hear. Then she whipped around to Four and Six, both of whom had their hands on their weapons. "Something's wrong. We need to get back to the others, _now_!''

Six frowned. "We haven't heard anything from over our comms; surely one of them would let us know if they needed us to come back.''

Two climbed to her feet. "I don't know how I know, I just do. Something's wrong."

"I haven't gotten any calls that there is anything the matter," Marica told her as Six hailed One, Three and Five over their comm link, even as she reached for comm. "Stations, two, three and ten, report. Stations two, three, and ten, report!" Her eyes widened when all that greeted her hail was static. "They're not answering, none of them."

Two took off at a run, ignoring Marica's shouts for her to wait; Four and Six followed her lead.

Thankfully they were only a few blocks away from where they were staying. The soldiers standing guard just inside of the building were all slumped on the floor; they didn't stop to see if they were dead or merely unconscious. Ignoring the elevator, and the soldiers slumped by its doors in favor of the staircase, Two led the way up, weapons drawn.

The door leading to their new quarters was ajar; the soldiers on either side were dead, bullet holes in their foreheads and blood painting the walls on either side of the door.

Stepping around their bodies, Two motioned for Six to take point; he took the indelicate approach and kicked the door open, gun at the ready.

No one. Nothing.

Nothing, except...

"Gas." Four said, pointing with his sword to a canister on the floor between the seating area and the kitchen.

"Five!" Two shouted, hurriedly looking behind furniture, peering into other rooms, waving Four and Six towards the rest. "Five! One! Three, come in! Someone, respond!"

Silence. Nothing over their comm, and no answer from any of the rooms, and no unconscious, or forbid, bodies, anywhere in any of the rooms.

"They're gone." Six said, teeth clenched "And no sign of a struggle or violence, beyond that gas cannister; whoever took them knew how to do so with minimal effort."

"How the hell did this happen?!" Two shouted, her eyes glittering in fury.

"Good question," Four growled, turning to glare at Marica, sword clenched tightly in his fist. "It was your people who were supposed to keep them safe from harm, and yet this was allowed to happen!"

Marica shook her head helplessly. "I don't know! This has never happened before! Never! Not from here!"

Two stalked closer to the other Alpha female. "What's that supposed to mean, 'not from here'?"

Marica sighed heavily. "Newcomers occasionally go missing, never to be found, but always,  _always_ because they go wandering where it's not safe, especially the new Omegas. They don't like the restrictions, don't believe they've changed that much." She shrugged helplessly. "I can only do so much. If they don't heed my warnings..."

Two pointed towards the door. "Those guards of yours are dead, who knows about the ones downstairs. My people didn't wander off; they're not that stupid! Even Three wouldn't risk the lives of One or Five. They did not leave here willingly!"

"Found two of their comms!" Six, who had been exploring for any overlooked clues, called from the back room before Two got much further with her tyraid. He showed them to Two. "So either the last one is somewhere here, or one of them slipped it into a pocket, hoping we could track them with it."

"Let's hope we can." Two commented. "Android! I need to to track One, Three and Five's comms."

"Sure thing, Two. One moment." The Android said.

Two started pacing.

"Two? Three and Five are within a couple feet of you. I am not picking up One's comm anywhere in the city, though there are several sections of the city which are immiting jamming signals. Has something happened?"

  
"You could say that," Two muttered with a glare in Marica's direction. "One, Three and Five have been kidnapped. We have no _fucking clue_ as to who, or why."

There was the briefest of pauses before the Android said, "I am sorry I cannot currently be of more assistance. I will start immediately working on tracking down One's comm. He or all three of them could very well be being held within one of the jammed areas. I will start working around them."

"Tell your Android to start with the jammers located in or near abandoned buildings." Marica suggested grimly. "I'm sure she can find a way to access the city's records. It's a very good bet they're in one of those. I'll call into headquarters and see if we've gotten word of any other kidnappings, missing persons or whispers of illegal Omega sales." She smiled sadly. "We will do our best to bring your people back safe and sound."

"You'd better." The two Alphas and one Beta said, as one.

OoOoO

Both One and Three had to make use of the bucket in the corner before sitting in stony silence, ears straining for any sound of footsteps outside the door.

Whatever he'd been injected with, Three's throbbing head was now barely noticeable, for which he was grudgingly grateful; with a clear head, he could plan an escape better. But, sadly, he couldn't think of anything that didn't end with them all dead. instead, he attempted to pace a hole in the floor.

"Three, will you sit down?!" One finally snapped. "You're getting on my nerves!"

"I'm getting on your nerves?!" Three exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Whose fault is it we're here in the first place?!"

One glared up at him. "What, was I supposed to keep running and leave Five? Is that what you're saying?! No one put a fucking gun to your head and made you come back and help me try and drag her to safety! No. Your capture is on your head. You had your chance to run!"

"And I should have! Once we get out of here, I'm going to kill you!" Three spat, turning his back on the Inquara. "You and her are the ones they want, not me!"

Deep down, Three winced; he didn't mean all that, not really despite the truth of it. Not the new him, anyways. A shudder washed over him, wondering if the pre-memory wipe him would have left the two of them to their horrid fate; probably. The instinct was still there, and he wouldn't, couldn't deny that; sheer self-preservation. But he was changing. It was a strange change, and sometimes it was inconvenient and even upsetting; but it didn't change the fact the rest of the crew, One and Five included, mattered to him well beyond what he supposed he would feel for someone who was assisting him or working on a common goal with. Remembering the reference made earlier that day to wolves, he supposed that was a good description of them all. A pack. Of misfits, to say the least, sure. But a pack nonetheless.

"If that's how you feel, then why don't you take Lucas up on his offer?" demanded One, breaking Three out of his introspection. "Get him to let you out, and then disappear?"

"Because! Because I..." Three, starting out angry, sighed heavily. "Because I'm changing, and as _annoying_ as that fact, along with the two of you and the rest of the crew is, I... can't."

Before One could comment, the locks retracting on the door making Three spin around; One got to his feet.

"Stand back!" Shouted a guard, entering the cell gun drawn and aimed at Three, who slowly raised his hands. He shot a glance at One. "You, you stay where you are, Inquara, or what we hit you with earlier will feel like a lover's kiss." He threatened, hand touching the shock stick hanging on his belt.

Two guards led Five into the cell; she stumbled and fell against the guard aiming his gun at Three, who caught her reactively. Before Three could react to the brief opening she had made, the soldier snarled in disgust and threw her off of him onto the floor. One of the guards who had brought her in hurriedly reshackled her to the wall.

Three swallowed a snarl at the sight of her. Her lip still bled sluggishly from when Lucas backhanded her; both sleeves of her sweatshirt had been chopped off. Her inner elbows were both bruised, and were dotted with angry-looking red spots he doubted were anything than needle marks. Then his view of her was blocked by the first soldier crouching down next to her to bury his face in her hair.

"I'll be back soon, sweetheart, count on it."

"Stay away from her, you bastard." One spat, yanking on his chains, eyes glowing with rage.

The soldier chuckled. "Would you rather my attentions be turned to you, Omega?" He ran a hand through Five's hair, who did her best to jerk out of his grasp before the soldier strolled over to peer at One. "Hmm... you are rather knot-raising. Perhaps I'll have a go on you when I've finished with her. Turn you into the true Omega you are, not this half and half nonsense."

One paled, but held firm. "Go ahead, try it. You won't like what happens to you and your precious itty bitty man bits you have tucked away, and I do mean itty bits."

Enraged the guard grabbed One by his throat. "You will do as you are told, Omega," he hissed, face red with fury. "If I say you will be fucked, you will be fucked. If I say suck my cock, you'd better suck as if your life depends on it; because trust me, it will!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another long - for me - chapter, YAY!! Enjoy, and please comment! :)
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS: physical violence, reference to noncon sexual references, noncon drug use, umm... language.

"I'll be back soon, sweetheart, count on it."

"Stay away from her, you bastard." One spat, yanking on his chains, eyes glowing with rage.

The soldier chuckled. "Would you rather my attentions be turned to you, Omega?" He ran a hand through Five's hair, who did her best to jerk out of his grasp before the soldier strolled over to peer at One. "Hmm... you are rather knot-raising. Perhaps I'll have a go on you when I've finished with her. Turn you into the true Omega you are, not this half and half nonsense."

One paled, but held firm. "Go ahead, try it. You won't like what happens to you and your precious itty bitty man bits you have tucked away, and I do mean itty bits."

Enraged the guard grabbed One by his throat. "You will do as you are told, Omega," he hissed, face red with fury. "If I say you will be fucked, you will be fucked. If I say suck my cock, you'd better suck as if your life depends on it; because trust me, it will!"

One clenched his jaw to keep from spitting out a 'fuck you'. Somehow, saying that to someone threatening to rape you and your close friend did not seem like a smart move no matter how much rage was humming inside of him.

The guard's grip remained on his throat a couple of moments longer before he shoved One towards the floor and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him, leaving the Inquara coughing on the floor.

One eventually got control of his body enough to notice Five was as close to him as she could get, her fingertips brushing his shoulder in a futile attempt at comfort. He gave her a small smile. "Hey, kid."

"Hey, yourself," she murmured, attempting to return his smile, and failing. Her bruises were faded far more than possible with natural healing.

"Your bruises," One blurted out, gently touching her face, secretly pleased when he did so she did not flinch away from him.

"What about her bruises?" Three asked, joining them in the corner. "Oh," he murmured when she turned to look at him. "They give you something for those, did they?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she said softly. "And for... everything else." She glanced down at the filthy bandages still on her wrists. "It should be all gone within the next hour or so. They want to see what kind of damage the test will do to me, so they're wiping me cleaner than a magnetized memory chip."

"I'll have to _thank_ them before I _kill_ them." Three muttered darkly, shooting a glare at the closest camera, which was currently aimed right at them. "Ya hear that! I'll kill you all!" he got up to glare into it, but it was, sadly, just out of reach. Damage her, indeed. Over his dead body.

One frowned. "What the fuck kind of test are they going to do to you that they need to see what _damage_  it'll do to you?"

"No idea," Five, busy attempting to dig something out from under her shirt while not appearing to be moving much, said with a half shrug. "But judging from what I saw and heard in the lab, not to mention the way to and from, nothing good. Ah ha!"

"Is that... what I think it is?" One asked in awe, staring.

Three crouched down next to her again, blocking her from view to eye her prize. "A security passcard? How did you - oh. And here I thought you were attempting to give me a distraction to try and get out."

Keeping it on the floor and out of view, she slid it across to him. "I was thinking more on giving you a way to sneak out of here than anything else," she admitted. "It's probably a good thing you didn't take advantage of his distraction and tried to attack him, or else he might've changed his mind and had you chained up as well. This way you can sneak out of here and bring help."

While she had a point, being sneaky wasn't his strong suit, and he pointed as much out to her.

"If you want to get out of here, you're going to have to," she retorted. "Listen, a single guard goes by out there about every thirty minutes. Time your escaping with that, take his uniform and walk right on out of here."

"Umm hello, tech kid?" Three motioned to the ceiling - well, flipping the camera off was more like it. "Three cameras, watching us constantly. They'll see me leaving and be back down here before you could hack your way into my room on board the Raza!"

"If we could redirect them, at least away from the door, you'd have a chance." She replied, glancing around. "There's no way I could hack into them, not without at least reaching the door and the panel. I've tried, before either of you woke up. My chains are too short, and I can't get them to unlatch."

One was squinting up at the cameras. "What's the chance the cameras have night vision or infared tech in them?"

Three and Five followed his gaze. "Doubtful, from what I saw in the lab," Five said with a shudder. "They're high-detail, top of the line. But with them in the cells, where people are contained, they don't really need to see in the dark -" she stopped, One's thoughts dawning on her. "Oh. Good idea!"

"You two wanna share with the rest of us?" Three demanded impatiently.

"If we can take out the light, the only light in the cell," Five told him excitedly, "That would be the perfect time for you to sneak out!"

"Aaand if they're monitoring us, which they probably are," Three retorted, "They'd be alerted and come running down here!"

"Then we'd better make the switch between you and the guard as quick as possible, before they come in here." One said firmly.

"And what, so they can find an unconscious or dead guard in here, and all three of us gone?!"

"Actually..." Five fidgeted. She glanced at One, apologetic.

He smiled sadly. "I kind of figured that was your plan, Five," he told her gently, taking one of her cold hands in his and squeezing it. "It's ok."

"What. Plan?!" Three growled through clenched teeth.

"We're not going; you are."

"No." Three got to his feet, staring down at the two in disbelief. "If you're lucky, they'll kill you, but you know that's not how they like to operate here on this planet! Not to mention being kidnapped and held in what is most likely an unsanctioned laboratory!"

"Then you'd best find Two and the others, quickly." One told him, undaunted at the Alpha's glare. "I still have my comm," he added quietly. "Get out, get beyond the jamming signal, and call in the rest of our group."

Three turned away from the two, hands clenched in his hair and pulling. "Do you understand what you're asking me to do?" he demanded hoarsely. He could feel physical pain in his chest at the thought of leaving One and Five to be... savaged... in his absence. He wasn't sure he could leave them to that.

But they would come to harm here even with him present, that was the problem. With guns and other weapons being pointed at them all, he could hardly attempt to fight his way out, not with how many guards One said there were. Stealth might be the only way, the best way, he could protect them.

"Alright," he said with a sigh. "I'll do it. How soon?"

"The next guard should be coming by in the next ten minutes." Five told him when he crouched next to her.

"Here," One murmured, holding out his hand to Three to shake.

Wondering if the guard's chokegrip had caused One brain damage, Three hesitated briefly before shaking the Inquara's hand. Something small and cool slipped into his hand from One's.

The comm. Ah. Now that made sense.

Standing up, Three shoved his hands into his pockets before pacing back to his side of the room and leaned against the wall. "This plan is all well and screwed," he murmured. "but how do you propose to take out the light? It's out of reach just like the cameras."

One gave him a half smile. "I found a stone. Unless I've lost my touch, should be able to take it out, no problem."

Three snorted. "And if you miss?"

"I have more stones." One retorted, straightfaced.

Footsteps ahead of schedule stopped any retort or snarky comment Three had been about to make in regards to One and his stones. The door unlocking had him standing up straight, hands out of his pockets. One and Five also got to their feet.

Lucas, two armed guards, and the doctor along with his assistant entered the cell. The guards pointed their weapons at Three and One while the doctor grabbed Five's chin, jerking it around as he observed her mostly clear face.

"Remove the bandages, make sure whatever is under there is all cleared up as well." Lucas ordered. "We want to make sure everything is set for the next step."

The doctor roughly grabbed Five's wrists and held them still while his assistant cut them off. Five held perfectly still as the bandages were removed, revealing healed, pale scars in the place of barely scabbed wounds that had been there the day before.

The doctor rubbed his hand over the healing flesh. "It is as best as can be expected, given the short dose we were able to give it."

Lucas sniffed. "Good enough. Everything else seem good?"

The doctor ran his eyes over Five's body, as well as his hands. When his hands passed from her shoulders and down over her breasts, she flinched away from him; he laughed.

"Keep your filthy hands off of her!" One spat.

"Or I'll rip them off of you." Three added, eyes snapping in fury. " _All_ of you!"

Three clenched his fists when Lucas turned to smirk at him, waving the doctor and his assistant out of the cell. "I've read all about you, Marcus Boone. Tell me, are you as violent, despicable, and bloodthirsty as they say?"

Three smirked right back, leaning into the gun pressed to his chest to look the other man dead in the eye. "I'm _so_ much worse than my reputation, asshole. You just wait and see for yourself."

"Good. I think I will enjoy this a lot more than I was first expecting." He took a step back. "Not as much as you will, of course."

Without warning, Lucas turned to face Five, pulling something out of his pocket. Grabbing her by her hair, he pulled, exposing her neck, and struck with a syringe.

Three hit the ground after his jaw was struck with the butt of the guard's gun when he lunged towards Five and Lucas. "What the _fuck_ was that?!"

Still with a firm grip in Five's hair, Lucas examined the injection site, watching with interest as a couple of drops of blood welled up and slid down her neck. Then he licked them away.

"You sick, sick bastard!" Shouted One, having seen the interaction more clearly than Three.

Lucas looked over at him. "Shut up, before I shut you up." He turned to look at Three. "Enjoy," he said before releasing Five, who dropped to her knees. "Wish I could stay and watch the show, but I'm off to meet up with Marica; apparently three new guests, an Alpha, an Inquara and an Omega went missing last night. Wonder what ever could have happened to them?" Smirking, he walked out without another word.

Three shared a look with One as the door slid shut. The older man hurried over to Five, gently examining to small puncture wound, the skin around it still glistening wet from the bastards tongue.

"It's not bleeding anymore," Three murmured, trying to be reassuring as he wiped the skin with his sleeve in an attempt to remove the bastard's scent. The needle prick had stopped bleeding, yes, but hadn't healed like the rest of her; whatever they had initially injected her with had run out, that or whatever the bastard had just injected her with had stopped it, but he doubted they could get that lucky. "You feel ok?" he asked instead, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Five hesitated before nodding cautiously. "Yeah, I think so." She shivered, then held up her hand. "Listen," she whispered, getting to her feet.

Footsteps, right on time.

"It's time. One, Three, get ready. He always stops a little ways down before continuing on down here, probably to smoke out of sight of any cameras."

Three, in a moderately successful attempt and nonchalance, walked over to 'his' side of the cell and settled down with his back against the wall.

Footsteps.

"On three, One." Five whispered, ignoring the chortles from One and Three. She rubbed the side of her neck with the injection site, shivering again.

A near silent whirr of a camera, moving to focus in on the female Omega.

"One."

The steps were coming closer.

"Two," Three and Five said simultaneously.

Closer still.

"Three."

Before One could move to throw the stone, Five choked, reaching out a hand to steady herself against the wall before leaning into it, gasping.

"Five? You ok?" One asked. Was this more destraction for the cameras?

When she didn't respond, Three took a step towards her. "Kid?"

With a strangled sob, Five slid down the wall and collapsed on the ground, and screamed.

OoOoO

The Android had yet to find any trace of the remaining comm signal, and couldn't even track it leaving the building.

"That means that, a, it is broken and you have yet to find it," She told Two, Four, and Six. "Or b, the kidnappers had a portable jammer with them. To me, option b is the more logical choice, as it would prevent them from attempting to make contact with you while they were under attack."

Two sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Good point, Android. Please continue searching for them. Don't worry about repairs to the Raza. Finding One, Three and Five are all of our top priorities."

"Already done, Two. I will let you know if I find anything. I want to bring them home, too."

"Thank you, Android." About to disconnect the comm link, Two thought of something else. "Have you mapped all of the areas of the city where there are jammers?"

"Yes. There are over two hundred within the city walls. 73% of those fields shield abandoned buildings."

After a moment of thought, Two said, "Send your map and list of addresses of the abandoned buildings to my handheld. We'll search this city building by building, top to bottom if we have to."

With a tired sigh Two rejoined Four and Six in the main living area of their new quarters; the old one had been shut down as a crime scene. Four was sharpening one of his smaller knife sets, ones that were just the right size and balanced weight for throwing; Six was cleaning, gun by gun, their entire stock.

The both glanced up when she entered; Six hopeful, Four stoic. The hope bled out of Six's gaze when he saw her face. "Nothing?" he asked, disheartened. "Nothing at all?"

"Android has compiled a list of addresses that are abandoned buildings covered by jammers. I'll get this to Marica and Lucas and see what they think are the most likely places, and start there."

The door beeped, letting them know there some someone requesting admittance. Suspicious, Two activated the outside camera to see who it was before opening to door.

Marica, Lucas, the soldier from the other day as well as several others were outside, but only Marica, Lucas and two other Alphas, one male, the other female and looks so close they had to be siblings, if not twins, with their dark hair and eyes and tanned skin, came inside.

"Marica has told me what happened, I'm so sorry!" Lucas said, his eyes sad. "We will do everything we can to help you find them and return them to you."

Two nodded. "Thanks, we appreciate your help." She handed Marica her handheld computer. "This is a list of addresses of abandoned buildings shielded by a jammer."

"There's so many," commented the new Alpha male, shocked. "I don't believe it."

"I do," muttered his sister darkly. "Don't know why you are, Jacob. This city is riddled with corrupt Alphas."

Lucas, observing the list as Marica scrolled through it, nodded in acknowledgement of her comment. "I agree with you, Evie." He looked up at the present Raza crew. "We do our best, but..." he shrugged. "We have only so much power, and many of them have far, far more."

Marica handed the handheld back to Two. "I've highlighted the places I'm most suspicious of," she told them. "We will divide into groups. Lucas, take your people and go north. James, west. Eive, East. I'll take the south."

"What can we do?" Six asked.

"Stay here." Marica said firmly. "Rest. None of you have slept at all since you got here, I'm willing to bet. You need rest." She held up her hand when all three started to argue with her. "And you need to stay in a jammer-free zone, not only to stay in contact with each group, but to also stay in contact with your Android. Not to mention the unaccounted for comm. Perhaps if one of them can escape their captors, they can get clear enough from the jammer signal to make contact with you."

"One of them still has their comm?" Lucas asked, startled. "Excellent!"

Two nodded. "We're hoping so, yeah. We only found two of them. I'm hoping for the best."

"Agreed!" Lucas replied, nodding. "Given, most kidnappers would search their targets, but hey, we've gotten lucky with that a few times before, I'm sure we can again!" He grinned.

OoOoO

Three dropped to his knees next to Five, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her whole body was convulsing, teeth chattering even as sweat ran down her face from her hairline.

"What in the Hells?!" One whispered, kneeling as close as he could get to her. "Damn it, must be whatever the he injected her with."

"Yeah," Three answered as Five cried out again, still shaking as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"H-hurts..."

"What hurts, kid? Your stomach?" Three placed a hand over hers; she flinched at the touch.

"Everything... skin too..." She gasped out, teeth still chattering. "So c-cold..."

Three ripped off his jacket and covered the girl, tucking it gently around her. One took her hand in his, wincing as she gripped it tight through another convulsion.

"What the fucking hell did you do to her?!" Three shouted, twisting around to face the closest camera, which was trained straight on them - straight on the suffering Omega. He got to his feet and spun to the other camera, then the door, still shouting.

"Shit..." Five muttered, her free hand clenched tightly to Three's jacket, holding it close.

Three started banging on the door, though he could still hear One and Five's conversation.

"What's wrong, Five?" One murmured, also keeping his voice low.

She didn't answer right away, teeth clenched through another whole-body spasm. After a moment, she whispered, "I think... I think I wet m-myself..."

One combed through her hair. "If you did, it's nothing to be embarrassed about, especially given whatever they've done to you." He told her soothingly. "Don't worry about it, alright?"

Growling, Three changed tactics. "Lucas! Lucas I know you're watching, you lying son of a bitch! What the fuck did you do to her, you sick fucker?!"

A groan from Five spun Three around in time to see One removing the girl Omega's free hand from digging into her neck; the convulsions were growing worse. She was curled into a ball under his coat, and still shaking. He knelt down again next to her, touching the back of his hand to her forehead again. "You're burning up, kid," He said softly.

A strange smell hit his nose, and he sniffed, unable to place it. It didn't smell like piss, or sweat...

"S-sorry, Three..." Five said. "When w-we get out I'll... I'll get you a new one..."

One hushed her, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, glaring at Three over her, daring him to say something which would upset the girl.

Footsteps outside sent Three to his feet; the guard had passed by their door several minutes ago. "Lucas, you bastard!" Three shouted.

"You rang?" a voice asked through the screen by the door.

"Yeah, I rang, fucker!" Three shouted. "What the _fuck_ did you give her?! What's happening to her?"

Lucas chuckled before saying, "I have to admit, while I was expecting the male Omega to offer her comfort as she spiraled, I WASNT expecting you to do so. Where is the violent, blood-thirsty, despicable Marcus Boone?"

Three stared at the screen, momentarily speechless. Then he found his voice. "What the fuck does my past have to do with what's happening to her?!"

"You don't smell it? You don't feel it? It's not calling to you?"

"Stop speaking in code, it's not my thing," Three growled. "Answer me! Or better yet, get your ass in here so I can _beat_ the answer out of you!"

"I think I'll pass, thanks." Lucas replied. "As... tempting as your offer sounds, as a Clone, I need to survive so all of my memories can be uploaded for the real me to view and enjoy."

"I thought to have a clone of you out and about you needed to be unconscious," One said uncertainly.

"We're more advanced here, Omega. Now hush so I can open the eyes of your Alpha, seeing as his body isn't telling his what it should."

"Shit..."

Three turned to look at One and Five, who had been the one to curse. "You know what he's saying, don't you?" He asked. "What did they infect you with?"

If anything, her shaking got worse, but she still pushed herself upright to lean against the wall, her eyes fixed on the floor between her and Three; his jacket slipped off of her and onto the floor as she drew her knees up to her chest, her whole body curling as small as she could against the wall.

"Five?" One asked, squeezing her hand. "Hey, hey, don't cry, hon, what is it?"

"Ah. Looks like the bitch figured it out first. This shall get interesting." Clone-Lucas commented with a chuckle.

"Shut up!" Three spat, turning to glare at the door before focusing his attention back on Five. "Kid, what did they hit you with? Is it going to kill you? Spread to us, what?"

Another tear leaked out of her closed eyes, leaving a clean track down her dirt-smudged face. "It... it won't kill me, not directly, I d-don't think. And... it will only affect one of y-you..."

"Five, what do you mean?" One asked gently.

"They...I think..." She let out a small sob, wrapping her arms tighter around herself, nails biting into her upper forearms. "I th-think.. I think they t-triggered my heat..."

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: noncon drug use, swearing (including one use of the C word), reference to noncon/rape
> 
> I'm not really happy with the middle of the second scene with Three's escape, but I wanted to post. if I get any inspirations will go back and edit it. Next chapter will be coming, but will be a little hard to write, because while I know what I want in it, HOW I want it to end, writing it so it all lines up is going to be a pain in my ass.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

Tears were in Five’s eyes when she met Three confused stare. “What does that mean, kid?”  
  
“Marica and Jared were telling us about it last night, but you must’ve already knocked yourself out,” One said when Five didn’t say anything, his voice thick with an unnamed emotion. “You know what a heat is at least, right?”

Three nodded. “Yeah, it’s when female dogs and wolves and such are ready for breeding. Why would they do that to humans, though? What’s the point of it?”

“In ABO biology, Omegas go into heat a couple of times a year when they’re most fertile, and it also makes them eager to mate. Also, an Omega’s heat can trigger an Alpha to go into rut.” One replied. Seeing Three’s confusion, he added, “Rut is the ‘heat’ of the Alphas, and it can drive them into a lust-filled frenzy, and uncontrolled they will ‘mate’ with any Omega, willing or not, especially if that heat was drug-induced, which serves no purpose other than making an unwilling Omega willing for sex. It’s illegal, not only because it is inhumane, but also the high rate of negative reactions, ranging from high fever, delusions to internal bleeding and death.”

Three’s face went red in anger. “So these rutting Alphas will just force themselves onto unwilling Omegas because they can’t control themselves?! Or they drug them into willing submission?”

“Or don’t want to control themselves. You saw how some of them were looking at Five and me.” One murmured, eyes hard as he looked at Three, his body as close to Five as he could get. “That’s what Lucas meant when he said to ‘have fun’ after he injected Five.”

Three’s face could not have gone from red to white any faster if his throat had been cut. “No,” he croaked, backing away until he hit the far side of the cell. “No!”

Five flinched, which set off another round of convulsions, her muscles seizing and locking up. One, straining at the end of his chains, finally managed to tuck her into his side as best as he could and held her close, murmuring words Three couldn’t catch.

His breath ragged, Three put his head in his hands and pulled his hair. It was making sense now. Her scent, the stupid bulge in his pants, the blood pounding in his ears… he had just thought it was a stupid random erection. But no. The damn biology of this planet, the stupid drug, and the fucking awful people were doing their best to make him lose it, and rape Five?

No. No, no, no, no. He would not, could not, allow himself to do that. He would not become some mindless beast and attack her. She was too important to them… to him. He would not be bested or forced into anything, let alone this; he was too stubborn for that.

“Three?”

The call was hoarse, weak, even. He looked up at Five. She was still shaking, her breaths sharp and short. But her eyes were firm as she looked at him.

“D-do you need… do you need to-”

“No!” One broke in angrily, his grip around Five tightening. “I will _not_ let him touch you. I’ll kill him first.”

“You’re not really in a position to kill me, you idiot.” Three retorted.

One shrugged, silent conceding the truth. “Then... take me. Just, please, Three, please… please don’t hurt her Take me,  and leave her be. Please.”

Three was rendered speechless, but only for a moment. “Fuck that. I’m not going to do anything to either of you.” His body and hormones and shit were pushing him do just the opposite. Biting down on his fist, Three leaned into the corner of the cell, glaring murderously up at the cameras.

Three held himself together, forcing his body into control for what felt like several hours, but was probably only two or three. His body ached with need for release, but he shoved it away with pain, rage, and will; his hands were going to be bruised from bite marks, his joints were screaming from holding himself forcefully in place. Slowly, slowly the urges started to bleed away, leaving behind just the pain.

Five’s tremors finally started to abate when she started coughing. One held her upright in a seated position awkwardly as a coughing fit wracked her body; her free hand not hanging onto One clutched her head, the coughing no doubt sending it into even further pain.

“Shit!” One exclaimed under his breath, brushing hair out of Five’s face once she stopped coughing.

It took only a moment for Three to see what had upset him; blood flecked her lips and chin and speckled the floor in front of her. He didn’t even need to think about it; his hormones could go fuck themselves. He was across the cell and kneeling on her other side before One could protest.

“Kid, look at me,” he murmured, ignoring the death glare One was leveling at him. He could scent her fear even before she met his gaze, fear warring with pain and exhaustion; it broke his heart a little to see the fear she was feeling of him, though he would never admit it. She was _his_ ; not to fuck, but to protect, from everyone and everything, including himself. After that revelation, the rage inside of him broke apart.

Gently he wiped the blood off of her as best he could. “How are you feeling?” Her skin had gone from burning up to cold; Three frowned.

“C-cold,” she whispered, arms wrapped around herself. “And it h-hurts to breathe.”

“C’mon, move a bit,” he moved to put his hands on her shoulders and tugged her forward, but One seized his wrist; Five, still holding tight to his free hand weakly tried to tug him back.

“What the fuck are you doing?” hissed One.

“Holding her,” Three retorted. “Your leash is too short. She’s gone from burning up to ice-cold to the touch, and now she’s coughing up blood. I intend to keep her warm, with all our clothes on. If you try to stop me I will knock your ass out.”

One stared into Three’s eyes for a long moment before letting go, though he still watched the other man’s movements suspiciously. Five scooted forward until Three could get behind her and then leaned back against him, her head tucked under his chin and knees drawn up to her chest. Once she was as comfortable as someone chained to a wall could get Three draped his coat over her before wrapping his arms around her. Because she had been reluctant to give up holding hands with One, Three eventually ended up with One asleep on his shoulder. Grumbling, Three thought about shoving him off, but that would involve moving, and Five’s breathing had finally started evening out in a moderately restful sleep.

And that was how Lucas found them some time later.

The cell door beeped and swung open hard enough it hit the stone wall behind it, making the three previously sleeping cell occupants jump.

“I must say, Marcus – oh, sorry,” he held his hands up in a mockery of platitude – “Three, you surprised me, and very little does that anymore. I do believe you are the first to successfully resist the new heat inducer without damaging or killing the Omega in heat. I watched the tapes, as well as reviewed my clone’s memories. Bravo.”

His arms still around Five, Three scowled up at Lucas. “Guess I’m just that special. You and your drugs can take a flying leap off – ”

Lucas shook a finger at Three. “Now, now, best play nicely. Who knows what our dear scientists will wish to test next? Perhaps a rut inducer, hmm?”

Three had to bite his tongue to keep from saying anything else. Instead he opted for giving the asshole his patented Death Glare of Doom ™. Disappointingly, this did little if anything to faze Lucas.

“Now I have it on good authority that one you didn’t lose your comm back when we seized you. Which one of you has it?”

“None of us,” spat Three. “Didn’t your stupid scanners tell you that already?”

“Scanners are rendered useless between the jamming field and the static from the cell cameras.” Lucas replied, waving three Alphas, two males, one female into the room.

The female Alpha plucked Five from Three’s arms before jerking him to his feet, swiftly checking him for the comm. In normal surcomstances, Three suspected he would not have minded her brisk but firm touches; but now, with most likely their lives on the line, he ignored her, opting to watch the larger of the two male Alphas dragged One upright before giving him a beyond thorough pat down, smirking at One’s blush and Three’s snarl; the female Alpha shoved him towards the far side of the cell.

“You’re stronger than you look. Wonder if your cunt muscles are equally as strong?” Three quipped.  
  
The punch he did not see coming from her to his midsection knocked the wind clean out of him and dropped him gasping to his knees, another punch to his jaw knocked him into the wall; Five and One cry out his name.

“Stay there until we’re done,” she hissed. “Or else I will be forced to do you real damage.”

He tried and failed to get to his feet, falling completely onto the stone floor of the cell. Turning his head, he watched the smaller Alpha male give Five a checkover; he, surprisingly, did it with as little contact as he could get away with.

“Nothing?” Lucas demanded. The three Alphas shook their heads. The Beta waved them out before turning to glare down at Three. “Guess you were telling the truth; what a novel surprise. Our famed mercenary has discovered he has some morals!”

Three spat out some blood onto the floor as he shakily climbed to his feet. “Yeah, it’s a different approach. You should try it sometime!”

“I have found that listening to the morals of polite society gets me nowhere and nothing. Thus my lucrative second job. Now you three rest well, because as they say, tomorrow is another day!” With a smirk and a wave, Lucas left.

“I really hate that guy.” One muttered.

“Tell me about it.” Grumbled Three as he sat back down next to Five, looping an arm around the still-shivering Omega and pulling her against his side.

OoOoO

To put it mildly, Two was not please to hear not only Marica, Lucas and the others had not found any trace or even a hint of her missing crew, but were also calling it a night as the sun sank down the western horizon.

“Two, I’m sorry, but without light, or any clue of where to look, I can’t have my people going into potentially dangerous locations. I do have some techs reviewing power source spikes, as well as checking order logs to see if anything suspicious ever got delivered to any of the addresses your Android gave us.”

“Then we will go out and continue the search!” Two snapped. Behind her Six nodded.

Four, on the other hand, sighed. “She has a point. It would do us no good to wander into a trap or into altercations with the locals, whether they’re part of the group who took Five, One and Three or not. It will do them no good if something happens to us. We can rise at first light, and two of us can assist with the search.”

Two was scowling at him. “But who knows what will happen to them in the meantime!”

“Four is right, Two.” Six said before Four could say anything. “It’s a good possibility that their techs will get us some leads; we can have the Android assist them with the search, they’ve already airlifted the Raza into a nearby hangar, and she’s no longer needed to assist with repairs.”

Marica had stayed silent and let the present crew members, two Alphas and a Beta, verbally debate with more than a little surprise; it was odd to see newcomers, especially two Alphas and a Beta having a halfway civilized argument without resorting to screaming or physical violence. She had a sneaking suspicion about why, but would the situation play out before she brought it to their attention.

Two, still grumbling in the face of Four and Six’s logic, finally acquiesced. “Our Android will help your techs with the searches,” She said firmly to Marica. “And I don’t care what time it is, if you get any clues, we are told immediately.”

Marica nodded. “Of course. Have your android get in touch with the techs at this station” – she handed Two a card – “and they can tagteam and find your missing people.”

The Android was only too happy to help, claiming she could help with the search and continue to search for ways to disrupt the jammers, especially any which were at suspicious addresses, and promised to wake Two if she found anything remotely important.

“You two go get some rest, you’re going to need it tomorrow.” Two told Four and Six when they both remained seated in the main living area.

“I’m fine here,” Six said firmly as he settled into an overstuffed reclining chair.

Four wordlessly settled his slightly drawn sword across his knees and leaned his head back against a cushion propped against the wall; his spot offered a vantage point of all the entry and exit points in their new living quarters.

Two huffed, torn between exasperation and exhausted humor at the men before settling down on a window seat, staring out at the lit—up city.

“Don’t worry, guys,”, she murmured. “We’re coming for you.”

OoOoO

Five’s tremors had mostly stopped, as had her chills and blood hacking episodes when she said softly, “Three, I think you should make a break for it tonight.”

“She’s right,” One agreed, “the quicker you get out of here and tell them where we are, the quicker we’re all safely out of this hellhole.”

“Yeah, I know.” Three grumbled, stretching as he got to his feet; the cell’s stones had been very unforgiving to his back and backside. “Any guesses as to when the next pass will be?”

“umm, about twenty minutes.” Five replied, handing his jacket back to him. “I’m fine,” she told him when he tried to hand it back. “Besides, we’ll need it for the switch soon anyways.”

Donning his jacket, Three leisurely strolled over to his side of the cell and sat back down to where he had dropped the comm in a space between two stones; thankfully it hadn’t shown up on their scanners. Guess the cameras in the room were good for something after all.

They sat in silence, ears straining for the sound of footsteps.

The twenty minutes flew by.

Five heard them first. “He’s coming,” she whispered, her head on her knees to hide her lips from the camera as she rubbed it as if still in pain; maybe she was. “Three, you should lay down with your back to the camera, that’d be the best position to pose the guard’s body.”

Yawning, Three did as she suggested.

Across from him, One leaned his head back.

“He’s stopping for his smoke break. One, now!” Five hissed.

Either he was as good as he claimed, or he got lucky. Either way, One hit the light on his first try; the cell went black with a shower of sparks.

Three, pocketing the comm, hurried over to the door, listening to the approaching footsteps. When they sounded like they were almost right outside, he swiped the passcard.

“What the – ” was all the guard managed to squeak before Three put him in a chokehold, his forearm across the mans’ throat. After he stopped struggling, he dropped him on the floor and began stripping him of his jacket, hat and weapons.

“Is he dead?” One asked.

“Probably. Got a problem with that?” Three asked as he shoved the man’s arm into his jacket before dragging him over to his corner of the cell and positioning him in approximately the same position he himself had just been in having already donned his uniform.

“No, not really.” One replied. “Get going!”

“Good luck!” Five added.

“Hey, it’s me! Have you ever known me to need luck?” Three snarked before vanishing out of the door, closing it behind him.

The first thing he noticed that was odd was the distinct lack of monitoring cameras in the hall. Either they were overconfident in their guards and security measures, or they were stupid. Either way, it made his job of escaping a whole hell of a lot easier.

Keeping the cap down so his face was shadowed, he merely nodded or grunted a hello to the other patrols he met, doing his best to find his way out.

“Hey Thomas!” someone yelled behind him.

He ignored it.

“Hey, Thomas, you deaf, man?”

Stopping and looking behind him, a man who looked to be about One’s age was staring at him.

“Where was your head at, man? C’mon, let’s go topside for a quick smoke.”

Topside? As in, outside? Sure.

He followed the man, – a Beta, he nose told him – up a couple flights of steps and down a narrow hallway before emerging on a crumbling second story patio.

He wordlessly accepted the cigarette offered him, but didn’t move to light it. The Beta was eyeing him suspiciously.

“Yo, man, what has gotten into you? Not that you’ve ever been overly chatty, but even for you, you’re quiet. What, got your mind on something else? Someone else? Say, that new male Inquara?”

Three shrugged, turning away from the man. The man grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, ripping the hat off of him before Three shoved him away.

The man’s eyes went wide. “Fuck! You’re not Thomas!”

“No shit!” Snapped Three. “Which way to the City Guard Station?”

“Breach! Prisoner escaping! Prisoner escaping! It’s the – ”

Three swung the butt of his gun and struck the Beta’s skull, knocking him out before taking off, shoving the comm in his ear.

“Two, Four, Six, Android! Someone come in! Two, Four, Six, come in! Someone come in damn it!” he repeated, jumping down the rubble and into an alley before taking off running. “Come in!”

OoOoO

The sun had completely set and two full moons were rising before Two finally managed to fall asleep. Four and Six had fallen asleep over an hour prior; Six’s snoring was proof, though with Four it was hard to tell.

“Will someone please come the fuck in! Two, Four, Six, come on!”

Two almost fell off of the windowseat. “Three!” she shouted as she leapt to her feet, her exclaimation loud enough Four and Six woke up. “Where the hell are you? Where’s Five and One?”

“I am currently running for my life,” he growled. “Five and One are still chained to the wall, underground in some illegal laboratory where they test illegal drugs and other bullshit.”

“Where are you? We’ll meet up with you.”

“Too late,” he replied, panting. “They’re about to catch up to me. Listen, I’m going to drop the comm. Track it. The lab is underground. I came up and out through a dark brown large stone building with a crumbling second story patio which faces east or south east, less than a kilometer from where the comm will be.”

“Hide!” Six shouted. “We can come and get you!”

“No. They still have One and Five. I don’t want to even think of what they’ll do to them if they can’t catch me.”

“We’ll find you, Three, I promise! We’ll come for you!” Two swore, her hands clenched into fists at her side; Four, sword in hand, nodded mutely. Six looked as enraged as Two felt.

“Just make it damn fast. Oh, and don’t trust Lucas, he’s part of the team here; even some of the Alphas listen to him. We’ve seen him. And he hurt Five.”

“What?!”

But Three was no longer on the other side of the comm. She could faintly, faintly here people shouting.

 

Then there was silence.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on out I will try to update once a week, every other at the most. I have two very different ways I can go with this, so trying to figure out which one. Who knows, maybe I'll write both and do them as two separate arcs!
> 
> Trigger Warnings: language, torture, references to non-con and drug non-con, and character death

Three could hear the shouts of the Alpha and Beta guards gaining on him as he threw himself behind a waist high wall, swiftly relaying as much pertinent information he could to Two and the others before tucking the comm into a crack in the wall. Then he took off running in the opposite direction.

It didn’t take another five minutes before two armed Betas blocked his path, more closing in from behind him including Lucas, who looked thoroughly displeased. Two burly Alphas holstered their handguns and grabbed him, forcing him to his knees.

“Three, what the Hells were you thinking? That you could run for help to rescue your precious Omegas?” Lucas asked. Then he smirked. “Or was everything earlier just a well-done act to save your own skin at their expense, and you really haven’t changed?”

“Just was feeling a bit cramped in that cell. Thought I’d go for a run.” Three spat sarcastically.

A punch struck his jaw, cracking open the broken lip from the female Alpha, and only the secure grip of the two guards kept him upright this time. They pulled him roughly to his feet.

“Ok, ok. I lied.” Three said, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the ground; tempting though it was to pull a Five and spit it in his face. “I was going to go shopping for a – ”

Lucas drove an uppercut into Three’s stomach, hard enough to make the older man retch.

“ – for a _bodybag_  for you, 'cause you're going to need it for yourself!” Three finished. The look of rage on the Betas’ face was worth the second uppercut.

“Take him back,” Lucas snarled at the Alphas. “Take him... take him to the Chair.”

OoOoO

“So, you’re telling me that my best Sergeant is not only aware of illegal activities, but he’s actively involved with it?!” Marica demanded, incredulous. “I don’t believe you. I’ve worked with Lucas for years, he has helped me bring down some of the largest underground Omega sales rings this city has ever seen!”

“This isn’t just some Omega sales ring,” Two growled. “This was a laboratory, they’re running tests on my people, and on the people you keep saying you’re trying to protect!”

“Perhaps his in with you is what gives him value to them,” Four commented. “He can subtly guide you away from their business and warn them when you get too close to them.”  
  
“He’s right,” Six agreed. “He’s the perfect asset. High ranking in the City Guard, privy to all sorts of goings on which would benefit them. I’ll bet not all of those illegal Omega auctions you have raided had all of their Omega stock. What better place to seize more test subjects? It’s not like the people in charge of the auctions would admit to having even more Omegas than what you caught them with.”

When Marica still looked torn, Two said, “Look, I know you trusted him for years, and you’ve barely known us a couple of days. But I trust Three. Despite his abrasive personality and self-centeredness, I trust his word.”

Marica dropped her head into her hands. Jared, seated beside her, placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “You have said more than once that either the auctioneers are getting smarter, or they’ve recruited at least one of your people.” he reminded her softly. "Lucas being the mole... he's your second in command, and would have the best access to anything these people could be interested in."  
  
“I know,” she replied heavily. “But I would have suspected Seth, Hells, even Jacob before I even considered thinking of suspecting Lucas. I guess that’s what makes him the perfect mole. I hate to even consider how long he's been feeding the intel.”

Satisfied the Alpha woman believed her, Two said, “Look, with you or without you, I am going to track down the comm Three hid, and I am going to find my people.”

Marica sighed heavily. “I will help you. It’s just... after your revelation, I’m not sure who I can trust among my people anymore.”

“And you need to find a way to keep Lucas out of the loop,” Six added.

Marica nodded in agreement. “I’ll figure out what to tell him.”

“Why not set a trap for him?” Four asked. “Tell him he’s being reassigned, given the lack of progress with the search for the missing new arrivals, you need him to investigate the rumors of an Omega auction happening soon.”

“Good idea, though he will wonder at my lack of presence with the investigation.” She replied, her voice thoughtful. Then she turned to look at Jared, smirking.

“Suddenly I am very, very afraid, Alpha,” Jared chuckled.

“I’ll tell him you’re going into what appears to be labor, and I cannot bare to be away from your side. He’ll believe that. He has always been moderately chauvinistic, so thinking I’m ‘caving to my female side’ will more than honey the trap.”

Everyone chuckled at that. The Android chose that moment to enter the room, bearing a portable device.

“Two, I have located the comm device Three hid before allowing his recapture.” She said, handing the device to Two. “It is approximately 5 kilometers to the north of us. From –”

Marica interrupted the Android with a long string of curses. “Of course it had to be in the section of the city I assigned to Lucas, that scum-sucking, traitorous son of a bastard!”

The Android waited politely until the Alpha had run out of swearwords before continuing. “From what Two relayed to me, Three said he made it less than a kilometer before making contact and hiding the comm device. Luckily, in that vicinity there is only one jamming field large enough to be the probable location of the laboratory where they are holding One, Three, and Five.”

Marica held out her hand to Two for the device. Glancing at it, she said, “I have a contact in the Architectural Department who can get us the schematics for this place. It’s probably an old underground prison they’ve retrofitted to their needs.”

“Good. How long will it take to get them?” Two asked, rubbing her hands on her thighs in anxious energy. Her people had been away for far too long for her liking.

“I know you’re anxious to retrieve your people, Two. But we need the plans, and I need to discreetly contact the few people I feel I can trust to help us with this raid. I also need to get us the equipment we’ll need, and set the trap for Lucas.” She held up the device still in her hands. “If their operation is this big, its sadly going to take a little time to gather the resources to be able to crack it.”

“Just how long are you planning on waiting?!” Two demanded.

“At the latest?” asked Marica as she handed the device back to Two and pulled out her handheld. “Tonight.”

Two spun away from the other female Alpha, teeth clenched painfully tight in her fury. She didn’t think she could wait, leave her people in there that much longer.

“Two,” Six said from next to her, Four on her other side. “I hate the idea of waiting just as much as you do, but like she said, if the operation is even half as big as we’re guessing, if just the three of us go in there, we’ll only end up getting shot, or captured. And that’ll do Five, One, and Three no good.”

“Going in with the most information, with the best weapons, and with the manpower is the only way.” Four said, arms crossed on his chest. “If this was an above-ground operation, with plenty of exits, I’d say otherwise. But Three said it was underground. We’d be caught before we made it down two levels.”

“I know,” Two whispered, her voice shaking in fury. “I know she’s right, that you both are right. I just… they have Five. She’s been through way too much these past few days. They have One, and Three as well. I cannot protect them where they are.”

“Guardvuk.”

The present crew of the Raza turned to look at Jared, who was standing between them and his Alpha.

The pregnant Omega met Two’s eyes for a moment before dropping them to the floor. “You are a Guardvuk Alpha, Two. Your Alpha instincts demand you protect your crew, who from what you have told us have been through a lot together. Normally an Alpha’s instincts to protect to the extent you are displaying only reach to their mate and their cubs. The good ones, like my brother Dean, and Marica” – he glanced back at his Alpha briefly, who smiled at him – “while they do wish to help Omegas outside of their mate, they are not this driven. You feel responsible for them, regardless of their rank, age, or sex, whether they're Omega, Beta, Alpha, or Inquara. To you, they are all worth protecting, even if it were to cost you your life.”

“I take it Guardvuk Alphas are not very common,” Six asked.

Marica shook her head. “We see maybe five every decade, at that’s just the ones who’s pack contains Betas, Inquaras, and Omegas. Ones who’s pack contains other Alphas? I think we had three in the past century, and none in our history have been Alphas who were not of our planet.”

“So I’m unusual, what’s so odd about that?” Two demanded.

Six burst out laughing; even Four chuckled. Two looked at them, exasperated. “Shut up,” she growled, though the corners of her lips twitched.

Jared and Marica shared a confused look.

“Two has unusual biology which allows her to be affected by certain situations differently than most other humans.” The Android said helpfully.

Two glared at the Android, who either didn’t notice, or was good at pretending she didn’t. Then Two sighed. “We’re only now finding out about my… differences. It does not in any way affect who I am or what I can do.”

Marica got to her feet. “Never said I thought otherwise, Two. So you’re different. You’re still flesh and blood, a human like the rest of us. You do your best to protect your people, and you’re good to them. That is what matters most.” She clapped a hand on Two’s shoulder. “Now, do you think your Android could hack into their security systems? Take over, say, security cameras, door locks, and the like?”

They all looked at the Android, who if she was a human could be said to be smirking. “Of course. I will be more than happy to be of assistance in returning our missing members.”

Marica grinned, punching a button on her handheld. “First step: set the trap for my traitorous Sergeant.”

OoOoO

Three didn’t remember much of the trip back to the underground lab. He was either stumbling along or being dragged, couldn’t say for which, or if it was both. His head started clearing as they went down a long hallway with metal doors spaced evenly on either side, small windows at eye level.

A young, feminine scream jolted him out of his hazy stupor. He fought the grasp of the Alphas still on either side of him. “Five!” he shouted. "One!  _Five_!"

“That’s not your precious Five, though it might be soon.”

Three glared up at Lucas. “Go to Hell.”

“Hmm. Some would say we’re there already.” Lucas threw his hands in the air. “Wouldn’t you say, Three?” He turned on his heel and led the way down the hall.

They entered a room larger than the cell he had been sharing with One and Five, containing very little in the way of furnishings. Merely a single table with a portable computer, a glass carafe filled with water and a cup, and a single folding metal chair. The centerpiece of the room was an uncomfortable-looking chair, wings on either side with straps for a person’s arms, as well as straps for the rest of a body.

Three was shoved onto it and held down as two Betas strapped his arms, legs, waist, and chest down tightly. The bonds were painful; wires ran underneath the undersides of all the straps. Struggling against them, Three looked over at Lucas, who was conferring with two people in lab coats. “What the hell is this all about?” he shouted.

Lucas didn’t even glance up at him, but continued on with his conversation.

Five minutes and several more explicit insults on Three’s part later, Lucas finally nodded to the two, one of whom handed over a small device before the both left the room.

With almost dramatic slowness, Lucas turned to face the bound Three, holding the small device in his hand almost tauntingly. “I think its time the two of us had a talk, man to man. Don’t you?”

“Let me loose and we can chat as much as you like, after I’m done kicking your ass.” Three growled.

“I don’t think so,” Lucas said with a smirk. “See, I have questions. Questions about you, and about the people you came here with. I know some of the answers, and I have a feeling that, with the right motivation, you can help me fill in some of the blanks. Who knows, maybe I can do you the same courtesy.”

“I know enough about to know I can trust them to have my back.” Three said. “I don’t really need to know the rest.”

“So, you don’t need to know exactly how different your dear leader Two is from the rest of you?” Lucas asked, leaning against the table. “You don’t need to about your past? You don’t need to know exactly why One took on the face of the wanted Jace Corso? Hmm?”

“Like I said, I know enough.” Three ground out. “You just don’t listen, do you? I –” the rest of his sentence turned into a scream of pain as electricity shot down his left arm.

“And just think, that was just level two, and just one arm!” Lucas said, throwing his hands up. “Wonder what level three feels like for you, _Three_?” He laughed at hi own joke.

Three, knowing it was coming, managed to swallow the scream, and instead grit his teeth, groaning as the pain lanced through his right arm that time.

“Now,” Lucas said, walking slowly around the chair and the captive Three. “Let’s start small. Is it true you all woke from stasis with no memories?”

“No, we’re all lying to confuse you!” Three spat, trying to twist in the chair to keep an eye on the Beta. “Yes, we all had our minds wiped of our pasts!”

“Hmm. Only a partial truth. Perhaps at least one of you is starting to remember. Who is it?”

Three remained silent; the strap around his middle sent an electric shock shooting into his insides.

“Tell me, which among you has started remembering their past? Perhaps it’s just one of your number.”

Three yanked at the cuffs on his wrists. A light shock hit them, making him wince.

Lucas leaned in. “Do I need to give you another reminder?” When Three stayed silent, the Beta smirked. “That’s what I thought. So, which one of your crew is remembering their past? I take its not you.” He resumed his slow pacing around the chair.

“No, it’s not.” Three spat. “I don’t see how this is any of your business!”

Lucas halted his pacing behind Three, out of sight. “You’re protecting someone in your group.” He commented. “Four and Six are more than able to defend themselves, even in your eyes, so it must not be either of them. I’d add Two to that list, because she is obviously more than able to take care of herself, but you yet view her as a woman despite knowing what she’s capable of.”

Three snorted. “You’ve never seen her pissed off. She can take care of herself.”

“You find her attractive.”

“Of course I find her attractive! You’d have to be _blind_ to not.” Three scoffed.

Lucas took a few more steps. “Have you slept with her?”

“Yes.”

“More than once?”

“Yes.”

“What of the others?” Lucas asked. “Has anyone else slept with her?”

Three attempted to shrug. “One has. Obviously Five hasn’t. Six I don’t think has ever had sex, and Four… I don’t think she’s his type.”

“There. You’ve been telling the truth. Has that been so hard?”

Three glared up at him wordlessly, which only seemed to amuse the Beta. “So, on to something a little more focused. This person, how are they remembering their past? In flashes? In old abilities still there, just not the knowledge of how they were acquired?”

“Not sure, not sure, we all are to a point, yes.”

“So the only thing removed during your time in stasis was memories? You still have all of your talents?”

“Umm, duh?” Three made a face. “Have you seen Four with those sharp, pointy swords of his? Six piloting? Me shooting? Five fixing things?”

“What kind of things does your little Omega fix?” Lucas asked, pouring himself a glass of water.

Mentally cursing, Three said, “Computers, digital hardware components, anything with a chip, wires or a screen I think she could hack, fix, bypass, whatever the fancy words are. Two seems to be able to do the same thing to our ship, and it sure as Hell seems like Six can do the same with our small landing craft.” He added, trying to distract the Beta from Five.

“Sounds like she’s very good with her hands, you little Five.” Lucas said, one eyebrow cocked as he took a sip of water.

Three swallowed a growl at the not so subtle innuendo. Instead, he leaned back and closed his eyes, deciding to offer up something which would interest and distract the Beta. “I found out a small portion of my past when we were finally able to get into a heavily locked and encrypted vault on our ship, we found a woman in another stasis pod, not hooked up to the main system. A mishap with the ship's electrical systems caused a glitch with the stasis pod, which caused her to wake up. Turned out she was my wife.”

“ _You_ had a wife?” Lucas asked, eyebrows raised high in shock. “Oh, do tell.” He raised his glass in a mock toast.

“She saved me after a mission went wrong, before I joined the Raza. I was dying from an infected wound. She dragged me back to her house, and helped me to heal. But a Galactic Combine was mining on her planet, and the runoff was poisoning the water and the air. She became ill. I put her in the stasis pod in the hopes of finding a cure.”

“Did you?”

“No. Her symptoms worsened, so I placed her back in the stasis pod. But our ship came under attack, and all power, even in the vault, was cut. She died.”

“Such a tragedy.” Lucas crooned. “I must say, though, it is fitting, your wife dying.”

“Shut up!” Three snarled.

Lucas cocked his head. “You really don’t know? He never told you?”

“Who?”

“One, of course.”

Three snorted. “I’m sick of your games, Lucas. What the hell did you really want to know?”

“No, no, I find this amusing.” Lucas said with a chuckle. “One never told you? About his wife, I mean. Before he took on the likeness of Jace Corso.”

“And how would you know that he knows, whatever it is that you’re surprised to know that I don’t know?” Three asked, almost giving himself a headache with the sentence.

Lucas leaned forward to meet Three’s furious eyes. “When we ran the DNA sample after we drew his blood, we discovered his true face. And judging by your lack of reaction, you were already aware of this fact.” He straightened. “We found out by asking him.”

There was a glint in the Beta’s eyes; Three had a bad feeling about what he was about to say.

“He took on the likeness of a mercenary to track down and get close to another one; you, Marcus Boone. Would you like to know why?” Not waiting for an answer, he continued. “It was because you took away from him that which he held most dear.”

Bewildered, Three asked, “What the heck did I take? Money? Weapons? His stuffed dog, what?”

“His wife.”

The air left Three’s lungs. He knew he had killed people. He had done it since their shared memory loss, and he sure as Hell had done it prior to it. But a woman, a woman who was undoubtedly, based on One’s behaviors and mannerisms, was not someone involved in the shadier side of the world as he was? He couldn't see even his old self killing her.

“You killed her. Well, supposedly, anyways. Their prime suspect in her unsolved murder.”

“No.”

Lucas snorted. “What, have you never killed a woman before?”

“Of course I have. Ones on the wrong side of the law. From what I know about One, he was on the right side until he decided to take on the face of Jace Corso, which I’m assuming was after her death. I didn’t kill her.”

Lucas seemed amused. “Interesting. You believe that so much the graph even says you’re telling the truth.”

“Because I am!”

Lucas crossed his arms. “I wonder what he thinks.” Then he shook his head. “As interesting as all this is, I have more questions. Ones you will undoubtedly be more unwilling to answer.”

“Just peachy.” Three muttered, right before a shock of electricity rammed into his legs.

“Ow.” Three spat after the shock stopped. “What the hell else could you want to know?”

“Which among you is the one remembering their past?” Catching the sideways shift of Three’s eyes, Lucas added, “Or are they remembering not just theirs?”

Three glared at the wall. “I aint telling you anyth –” he sentence was cut off as the bands around his legs and arms sent shocks into his limbs.

Lucas stopped next to the chair. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He tipped his cup, allowed some water to hit the band on his right wrist. “You do know what happens with water and electricity, right?” Smirking, Lucas walked over to lean against the table again. “So, this person is somehow remembering odds and ends everyone’s past, including their own.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Are they remembering unconsciously, or are they actively able to dive into the memories? Remember, your dominant hand is now wet with a strap carrying enough voltage to turn you into a leftie.”

Three, breathing heavily, gritting his teeth together. “Both.”

“Well, well. That _is_  interesting, to say the least.” Lucas said with raised brows. “Almost sounds like a dormant Empathic ability.” Seeing Three’s brow furrow in confusion, he said, “An Empath in normal human circumstances can sense people’s emotions when in close proximity or physical contact, whether they’re aware of them or not. On an ABO planet, that gift - usually in Omegas, especially Miikaina Omegas - is compounded to the point they don’t need to focus or be in physical contact – or, perhaps in the case of your group mind wipe, an electronic neural link. Anyway, some of them use their ability to help people; others can control the emotions of others. I’ve known ones who have set two Alphas on each other just be magnifying their rage.”

Lucas got up to walk around to Three’s other side, bending down to speak right by his ear. “But most go insane, and are either driven mad, or commit suicide.” He started to straighten up, but stopped. “Oh, did I mention? Empaths are only ever found in the Omega portion of the population.”

Straightening, Lucas grinned at the sight of Three’s horror. “So, thank you, Three. I now know which of your crewmates is the Empath. Little Five. I think we shall find some very interesting things about her.”

“Go swallow a bullet,” Three spat.

Lucas tutted. “Now, now, that’s not very polite, is it? Now, I was wondering what you thought of your crewmates now that you have been on our planet for a couple days, and have been able to… enjoy the atmosphere here. Do you view any of your crewmates in a new light?”

Confused by the sudden change of topic, Three said, “ what the hell are you talking about?” the shock which followed was expected, but to his shame he did scream, but at least it was his legs, not his arms.

“I meant,” Lucas continued as if there had been no interruption, “Besides the lovely Two, are you finding any of the others interesting?”

“What, interesting like I’d like to screw them?” Three asked in disbelief. “What the heck kind of question is that?”

Lucas shrugged. “We have found that exposure to our atmosphere helps to, ah, BROADEN people’s views of their sexuality. As I understand it, on non-ABO planets, the genders are for the most part binary into male and female, at least among the humanoids. Here, there are three: Alpha, Beta, and Omega. While there is sometimes a preference for male or female, it doesn’t happen very often.”

“Don’t know what you’re expecting me to say, but no, I’m not.”

“At least not that you’re consciously aware of.” He waved the device in his hand like the answer was obvious. “Anyways, next question. ” Lucas started, before being interrupted by a beeping from the table. He grabbed the handheld. “Oh, look! It’s Marica!” He pulled out his gun and aimed it at Three’s head. “Try and shout, or make any noise to try and tell her where you are, I will kill you. Then your Omegas, they will go a lot more slowly than you. Do you understand?”

Three glared at him, but nodded.

“Hello, Commander. Oh really? That’s too bad, I’m sorry there’s been no leads.” He smirked at Three. Then he frowned. “A new assignment for me? Oh, yes well that makes sense. Another black market Omega auction? With CHILDREN? That’s horrible!”

If Three had been free of the chair, he would have punched the gleeful look off of the Beta’s face.

“I will look into it immediately! Will you be joining – oh, oh no, that is far more important. Tell Jared good luck. No, no I understand, your mate and pups come first, Commander.” He rolled his eyes. “Yes, back up would be wonderful. Can you have Jones, Nicolas, Sally, Briar and Cassandra meet me at that location? Thanks. Take care, Commander. Goodbye.”

Three eyed the Beta. “That was an odd conversation to hear only one side of.”

Lucas set the handheld and the device controlling the shocks of the chair on the table. “It so happens that Marica’s Omega has gone into labor three weeks early, and she’s about to head to the hospital with him. They’re pulling most resources searching for the missing crew of the Raza due to lack of progress. I have been reassigned to a child Omega black market. I’m sure my employers would dearly love some of them for their tests.”

“You sick bastard!” Three snarled.

Lucas gave a mocking half bow. “Why, thank you. Now, it saddens me to say our conversation time has come to an end, sadly.” He knocked on the door. Two male Alphas, different from the two who had brought him in entered the room and removed the restraints before handcuffing his wrists together in front of him.

They marched him to a cell vastly different from the first. This one was sterile white, barely over a meter square. The chains in this cell hung from the ceiling, and were digital, not the ancient lock and key ones from the prior cell. The lights as well as the cameras were tucked into the sides and ceiling, and covered in glass. One wall was either glass or clear plastic; the other side was a duplicate of the one he was in, and was empty.

“Where are One and Five?” he demanded.

“They’re coming, not to worry,” Lucas said, motioning to the empty cell as Five and One were dragged into the opposite cell. One was sporting a black eye and a split lip; Five had a blooming bruise on her left cheek and her own split lip; she gave him a weak smile when she saw him, which he tried to return.

Lucas walked outside of the cell to reappear on the other side by One and Five, touching One’s arm and Five’s cheek. “Now, Three, do you remember me telling you that if you tried anything, you would be forced to choose which one would die quick, and the other slow?”

Three started to struggle wildly. “Leave them alone! They didn’t know what I had planned!”

“Oh really? Who was it that stumbled into an Alpha and lifted their passcard? You? I don’t think so,” He said as leaned into Five, his nose touching her temple as he glanced over at Three, grinning. Five leaned as far away from him as she could with a whimper. Lucas leaned closer, intent on getting close to her again when she whipped her head back towards him, striking his nose.

Lucas pulled away cursing as blood coursed down his face, his nose at an odd angle. With a snarl he grabbed her throat with one hand. “You’re going to regret that, you little _bitch_ ,” he hissed. “I’m going to make you suffer so long you’ll be begging for your own death.”

“Leave her alone!” One spat, struggling between the two guards, glaring angrily at the Beta.

“Ah yes, and there’s you,” said Lucas, turning to face One, running the back of his hand over the Inquara’s cheek. “The one who broke the light to allow Three to make his escape. That really was a brilliant plan. Too bad it ended in failure.”

Lucas turned around, jerking his head to the two Alphas still holding Three. The one closer to the door released his arm and drew his gun, pointing it at Three as thee other Alpha walked out of the cell before following him out and closing the door.

“Now then,” Lucas said as he paced the area of the cell between Five, One and the glass dividing wall. “I think we should clear the air, hmm?” He looked at One. “Your fellow crewmate, Three, denies he killed your wife, though you clearly thought he did, thus your elaborate facade, correct?"

“That is what the reports said.” One snapped. “They only had circumstantial evidence, which I apparently believed at the time. But since we all got wiped I have no clue what I was thinking.”

“Still,” Lucas continued pacing. “what are your feelings about it now?”

“I doubt he did it. I have yet to find any reason he would do so; there was no benefit in it for him. He only does things that benefit him.”

“Oh ho ho!” Lucas said gleefully. “I like where this is going! Has he done anything recently that has made you say that?”

“No.”

This, clearly, was not the reply Lucas had been expecting. “You truly believe he wasn’t just going to leave you and the Omega bitch to rot in here if we hadn’t caught him?”

“I have seen him go from willing to sacrifice an entire mining colony, and trying to take over the ship and become the leader to willingly give up the password to a locked vault to try and save a fellow crewmember.” One ground out, eyes flashing. “He was going to bring back help if you hadn’t captured him.”

Lucas, regaining his composure, huffed slightly. “If that is what you want to believe, then I pity you. Too bad you won’t be able to learn from your mistake.” He glanced over at Three. “Don’t worry, I’ve changed my mind about forcing you to choose.” He jerked his head to the soldiers holding onto One, who yanked him backwards to the rear of the cell.

The soldiers with Five tightened their grip on her as Lucas stepped behind her, grabbing a handful of her hair. He looked up and met Three’s enraged gaze. “Just remember, _you_ brought this upon them.”

Suddenly Five was screaming, far worse than her reaction to the heat inducer; she struggled wildly between the two soldiers holding her upright, tears streaming down her cheeks. Behind her One was fighting to get away from the ones restraining him. Three banged on the divider, yelling curses and pleas at Lucas, knuckles bloody as he punched the divider.

When Five’s screams stopped and her legs gave out limply beneath her, the soldiers released her arms and she crumbled to the ground, and didn’t move.

“What the hell did you do to her?!” One shouted, hearing Three yell the same thing, though with a lot more colorful language.

Lucas held up a black handheld device with two prongs on one end. “Something we developed for prisoners who are far too uncooperative. Also used by the City Guard for interrogation.” He pocketed the device and waved One and the soldiers forward once more.

“If you killed her –” One started to threaten.

“You are in no position to be making threats. “ Lucas spat.

One of the Alphas holding One kicked the backside of his knees, driving him into a kneeling position, with Lucas behind him, running his fingers through One’s hair.

“Stop touching him!” Three snarled.

On the floor, Five’s hand twitched.

“Oh look, she survived!” Lucas exclaimed. “Well, well. That shall be interesting.” He looked up at Three. “Why should I stop touching him? Is he yours? I don't see any ownership Claiming marks on him, or her.” He smirked, one hand trailing down to touch the Inquara’s cheek and chin. “Ah well. Too late now.”

With that statement, Lucas snapped One’s neck.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me? It'll make sense in the next chapter I swear!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here ya go! enjoy!
> 
> Trigger warning: Things get bloody.

Three’s knuckles were bloody and bruised from repeatedly punching the clear divider in his raging fury. He throat was raw from screaming at Lucas, who had laughed at him as he let One’s body drop to the floor next to Five before exiting the cell, leaving Three to stare at One’s body. He yelled for Five to wake up, for One to not be dead.

He yelled because he had been helpless to help his friends, and even now, he couldn't reach them.

He wasn’t sure when he had collapsed to his knees, hands still on the divider, leaving streaks of blood on its surface. Unfelt, a tear ran down his cheek; rage was boiling within him, searching for an outlet. He wanted to tear the cell apart, break into the glass and rip out the cameras and the lights until someone – hopefully Lucas – would be forced to enter the cell. Then he would have a _real_  target for his fury.

But for now, all he could was lean his forehead against the divider, and cry.  
  
He didn’t know why One’s death was affecting him so deeply. He didn’t know quite how he would classify their relationship. Somewhere between enemy, comrades and competitors, he supposed. But this… this reminded him of when he had seen Two spaced, when he had the wife he couldn’t remember dead in her stasis pod, but magnified a hundred fold.

Maybe it was this planet. This stupid, stupid planet! He didn’t _want_  to care about others, it always ended badly for him. That was a likely reason for him joining up with the pre-mindwipe Raza crew in the first place, with others who put themselves first and where it would not seem out of place for him to look out for himself and himself only.

This pain, this sorrow, the feeling of  _caring_ about others… he was sick of feeling it.

But it wouldn't leave him alone.

OoOoO

“What the hell? Did he pass out?”

Lucas glanced at the screen for the cameras for Three’s cell. The Alpha had finally collapsed against the barrier between his cell and the one with the two Omegas.

“Go check on him.” Lucas ordered one of the stronger Beta guards before turning back to the cameras.

“No, I doubt he’s passed out.” One of the lab’s scientists joined Lucas in observing the Alpha. “It’s most likely that he’s in mourning; I’ve seen it before, especially in new arrivals who have not had ample time to adjust to our unique environment, and lose someone close to them - whether they realize it or not. Sometimes they die from it.”

“Oh, he’d better not die on me just yet.” Lucas said darkly. “I’m just getting started with him.”

“We shall see what the next few hours bring.” The screens showed the Beta entering the cell. “Ah, here we shall he reacts to this.”

By react, he hadn’t been referring to or expecting a bloodbath.

OoOoO

Three didn’t hear the sound of boots on stone until the door behind him beeped open. By that time, instead of his emotions going away as he had wanted, they had grown until it felt as though fire was burning through his veins.

All he could feel was rage.

He held his position, slumped against the glass as a single set of footsteps entered his cell. They paced over to him steadily; a boot connected ungently with his foot.

A switch inside of him flipped.

Three was on his feet, fingers digging into the flesh of the Beta soldier, whipping him around and shoving him hard against the divider, once, twice, before throwing him towards the opposite wall.

Blood ran down the man’s neck from where Three’s nails had dug into his flesh. He tried to get to his feet when Three fell onto him, slashing downwards with his fingers rigid, aiming for the man’s face and neck.

The Beta was screaming. Screaming for mercy, for someone to help him, to please stop. But, finally, his cries gurgled into silence.

OoOoO

Lucas had expected Three to attempt to attack the muscled Beta he sent to… give him a poke.

He had not expected the mourning Alpha to be able to physically overpower the Beta.

“Oh, shit.” The scientist swore. “Lock the cell door, immediately!”

“But Ramon is still in there – ” someone started to protest.

“He’s dead anyway!” the scientist spat. “That Alpha has gone Feral; lock that damn door, or he’ll tear a lot more of us apart before he could be taken down!”

The Beta controlling the monitor and door lock blanched and complied hastily, eyes staring at the screen.

They watched in varying degrees of shock as the Alpha tore into the Beta with his fists, nails and teeth. When he was done mutilating the body, he crouched, animalistically, looking at the closed door, then wildly around the cell, growling.

“Pull back the divider. I want to see what he’ll do to the Omega he fended off a heat-induced rut for.” Lucas said, grinning.

The scientist looked at him, shocked. “But you said she was an –”

“We’ll find you another.” He interrupted coldly. “Besides, I have a child Omega sale to go raid in two hours. You can have your fun with what I bring you back from that.”

OoOoO

When the fog started to clear, the first thing Three noticed was the metallic taste of blood; what the hell?

He blinked and shook his head, trying to get his eyes to focus on the red and white swirling in front of him. It took a few minutes, but finally his world settled into mostly clear focus. The roaring in his ears took longer to subside.

There was a dead body – part of one, anyway – in front of him. A good portion of its face and throat were gone; the arms showed signs of defensive wounds. There were pieces of flesh scattered around the rest of the cell.

He shifted on his knees, pausing them the fabric felt wet and looked down. Blood. He was covered in it; his legs, his chest, arms… Gods, his even hands!

He swallowed, and felt sick; blood. Finding a moderately clean patch of fabric on his shirt’s forearm, he wiped his face.

Blood.

His stomach threatening to revolt, Three shoved himself away from the bloody mess of the human being he had, somehow, torn to shreds.

He shook his head again in an attempt to clear it and remember what the hell had happened. He remembered trying to get his emotions under control and locked up like they were supposed to be, but it hadn’t worked. If anything, they had amplified themselves. He had been leaning against the clear glass divider…

…which wasn’t there anymore.

The first sight he saw was One’s body. He had fallen on his back, eyes staring blankly in his direction, one hand limply outstretched, palm up, as if in invitation.

Or a plea for help.

Three couldn’t look away from One’s face.

On his hands and knees, he crawled over to the younger man, leaving behind a trail of steadily fainter bloody hand- and knee-prints. When he reached One’s body, Three gently touched his cheek with the back of his hand, gently tracing his features, brushing through his hair.

Leaning down, he touched his forehead to One’s temple. “I’m sorry,” he whispered hoarsely.

Touching him, One, felt right, felt… he couldn’t explain it. The him from before would have been aghast at thinking about finding physical comfort, even so simple as a chaste touch, with another man revolting.

Now…

Without having to think about it, he placed a gentle kiss on the dead man’s temple.

When he sat up, a flash of color, not blood, caught his attention: teal.

Five, still on her stomach had crawled from where she had been dropped to close enough to One’s body she could hold his other hand close to her heart.

She was awake; Three could hear her rapid heartbeat, and smell her tears, though she was silent and unmoving.

Why wasn’t she moving? Why wasn’t she getting away from him?

Three got up and went to her, kneeling as a touched her shoulder. She flinched, cowering away from him, shoulder rising in a weak attempt to shield herself. She didn’t let go of One’s hand.

“Kid?” he murmured. “Five, Five I – ” he didn’t know what to say. The blood he left on her sweatshirt gave him his answer. She had witnessed whatever had come over him when he attacked the guard.

What could he say, how could he promise her it wouldn’t happen again, maybe with him falling on her, when he didn’t know himself?

OoOoO

Marica came back a couple of hours later, her face grim. “I have good news, and I have bad news,” she told them.

Two, Four, and Six exchanged a look.

“Good news first.” Two said finally.

“We have an informer inside the laboratory who, it turns out, has been sending information to the Civil Protection Unit and the Omega Protection Unit.” She scowled. “They finally are going to make a move after I started nosing around.”

“So these two Units have _known_ about this laboratory and what is going on in it and have allowed it to continue?!” demanded Six, outraged.

Marica made a face. “Yes. According to them they were waiting until they had enough evidence to convict the people working there. I saw a partial list of some of what they’ve been doing; they shouldn't have a problem.”

“So what’s the bad news?” Two asked.

“Getting in is going to be a lot harder than we originally thought.” Marica handed Two a handheld flatscreen device. “It’s over ten stories under the ground, each except the last floor has cameras. There are randomly placed invisible laser sensors, and at least outside, boobytraps. Even with a large group of guards and your Android and some of our techs taking care of cameras and sensors as they can, it’s going to be hell getting in.”

“Who cares? We still need to go in!” said Two firmly.

“I agree,” Marica replied. “That’s why you’re all coming with me to meet with the heads of both Units to plan out our means of attacking this place.”

Marica took them to a nondescript building a couple of kilometers away from where they had been staying. The guards outside patrolling the property were more heavily armed then the ones who guarded the tower.

Marica flashed her badge when three of the guards stopped them on the path. They nodded to her, but the black Alpha who seemed to be in charge gave Two, Six and Four a suspicious look.

“They’re with me, Archie,” Marica told him. “They’re part of the crew from the ship which crashed five days ago; their other members, including a young female Omega and a male Inquara as well as another Alpha were kidnapped by the same group of people we’re meeting to take down.”

Archie immediately lowered his gun, the other two guards copying him. “Good luck,” he told them, meeting their eyes. “I really hope you can tear the place apart and get your people back safely.”

Inside, Marica took them down a flight of stairs and into a heavily guarded and armored meeting room. Inside, Alphas and a couple of Betas, their uniforms divided into two different colors, dark blue and dark green were waiting for them. A few of them wore the black of the City Guard.

“No Lucas, Commander?” a male Alpha in a green uniform asked.

“No.” Marica said firmly. She turned to the Raza crew. “This is Captain Paretski, head of the Civil Protection Unit.” She turned back to him. “Lucas has been cooperating with our target.”

Several people in the room swore; Lucas had been, up until now, well-known and trusted.

“For how long, I don’t know,” Marica continued. “But I fear it has been quite a while. He is currently hopefully on his way with a hand picked group by him to stop a child Omega black market sale, where people I chose are waiting to capture him.”

The male Alpha in the blue uniform with the same rank markings as Captain Paretski said, “I’m saddened to hear about this, Commander. Though I do have to say, if I was in the enemy’s position, he does seem like a good target to sway or bribe into my services.”

“Agreed. Shall we turn to the business at hand?” Marica motioned to the Raza crew, quickly introducing them, though she didn’t give an explanation for their presence; she must have done so earlier, since no one argued or as questions as they all took seats.

“So, based on the blueprints we have acquired, and some recent scans, this is believed to be the rough layout of the laboratory,” a female Beta in a blue uniform said, bringing a 3D model to life in the middle of the table, turning slowly. Some of the rooms were labelled, Cells, Testing, Labs, Offices, and Living Quarters to name a few.

“There are about a hundred or so guards in ten hour shifts,” she continued. “Then there are the scientists, doctors, technicians, and support staff, not to mention all of the prisoners.”

“Any idea how many test subjects there are?” Two asked.

The Beta shook her head. “No. Most are Omegas, the rest are mostly Alphas; they don’ really have a reason to test on Betas, unless they’re an Inquara, which is –”

“Someone in between Beta and Omega, like One.” Two said, jaw clenched.

“Where are they getting Alphas to test on?” Someone asked. “I mean, they can snatch Omegas off of the street, or visit an Omega sale. But Alphas?”

“Perhaps they’re working with the prison, taking Alphas who were scheduled to be executed.” Marica murmured. “That or they were volunteers.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with both statements, with varying degrees of disgust.

“Now, there are three entry points we’ve found.” An Alpha in a blue uniform said, standing next to the Beta, who highlighted the points on the screen. “This one here,” he pointed to one which opened up into a tiny house with its roof and one wall missing, “we will only post guards on; it is very narrow, with no cover leading inside once you’re underground. Not a place we will want to be caught by enemy fire. With guards and one or two holding vehicles, we can capture, subdue and restrain anyone fleeing.”

The remaining two entry points, one what looked liked led to an underground hangar wide enough to accommodate the Marauder, and the second, A wide tunnel which started from a second story with crumbling walls. “These are the two we will use to gain access. The larger of the two leads to the labs, the narrow one to the cells…”

And so it continued. Plans were discussed, accepted or tossed out, and put into place. Two, Four, and Six were joining Marica and a hand-picked crew to head straight for the cells to free any prisoners, and to call in locations of ones in need of medical assistance to get out while a couple of other larger groups would be tackling the labs, drawing attention away from the cells.

“Now,” Marica said seriously. “I want you all to listen, and remember this: You will see horrible things in there. We don’t know exactly what they have been testing in there; we don’t know what condition we will find some people in. Do not let it cloud your judgement. If you are being attacked, defend yourself and your team. This includes the people we are trying to rescue. There very well could be Alphas, Betas, even Omegas driven to the point they will have become mindless creatures. We are going there to save them; but know now we will not be able to save them all.”

OoOoO

He awoke slowly. His limbs felt as though his bones had turned to stone, his skin to hull plating. He tried to move, but wasn’t sure if he was being successful or not. His head was killing him, though it seemed to be the only thing in his body which was actually in pain, as the rest of his body just felt very stiff and sore, as if he hadn’t moved in a while.

When he opened his eyes, the room was softly lit by a single covered lamp on the desk across the room next to a mounted computer system. The walls of the room itself was a soft cream, and the furniture appeared to be real wood, stained a deep, rich brown.

With a groan he sat up, the blankets covering him falling to pool around his waist. Rubbing his temples, he tried to recall the last thing he remembered.

“Oh, you’re awake. Mother and Father will be pleased. They were worried about you.”

He started, twisting to look at the open door. A brown-haired boy and blonde-haired girl of about seven years old stood in the doorway, watching him.

“Where am I? What happened?” he asked.

“You’re at our house, of course!” the boy said with a grin. “Mother and Father brought you here after the bad guys tried to hurt you.”

“Neville, Luna, you’re not annoying our guest, are you?” A man stepped behind the children, placing a hand on their shoulders.

“We were just saying hi!”

The man smiled. “Why don’t you two run along and tell your mother our guest is awake, and then help her with the dinner preparations, please.”

The children grinned, and the boy seized his sister’s hand. “Yup! C’mon, Luna!”

Once the children had left, the Alpha came in, leaning against the desk. “I’m sorry, I know this all seems strange, and I wouldn’t have brought you here if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.” he admitted. “But your life was in danger, so I did what I had to. Are your memories coming back yet? What they dosed you with to knock you out has a tendency to scramble you until its out of your system.”

The other man frowned. Faces flashed in his mind; men, a woman, a girl, all named after numbers… why… why?

Space travel.

Memory loss.

Stasis pods.

Fights both verbal and physical.

Enemies, and friends who turned into enemies.

Can’t trust anyone outside of their group. Or could you trust them at all... “It’s starting to, kind of.”

“Let’s start simple then. What’s your name?”

“One.”

“Do you know where you are? What planet?”

“On an ABO planet,” One replied, things starting to slide into place. “We crashed here, a couple of days ago, I think. I don’t know how long we’ve been – Five, and Three? Where are they?! Are they –”

“They’re alive,” The Alpha interrupted soothingly. “Don’t worry, One.”

One glared at the Alpha; his face was familiar. “Who are you? Where do I know you from?”

“My name is Edward Greene. I am a guard at the laboratory where you and your two friends were taken.” When One started to panic, the Alpha raised his hands in an attempt to calm the younger man. “I mean you no harm, One. Please believe that. It was me earlier who was one of the Alphas searching for the comm device Lucas believed one of you had. It was me who faked your death after they took your DNA to make a clone and brought you here.”

One frowned, confused. “Wait, what? Why would they make a clone of me?”

Edward slowly lowered his hands. “I believe that, when your Alpha friend made his escape, they wanted to punish him when he was recaptured, but they didn’t want to lose you, being a rare Inquara. So they made a clone of you to show Three.”

“I remember Three escaping,” One murmured. “Shortly after he got out, they came and took Five and me away. They took me to one of the labs; I don’t know where they took her.” He looked up at Edward. “Did Three get away?”

“For about an hour, yes. Then he was recaptured and brought back here.”

One closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall behind the bed. Had Three gotten far enough to get a message to Two and the others? Or was the jamming field a lot bigger than they had thought?

“How long ago was that?” he asked.

“About sixteen hours ago or so.”

“What happened to him? Where is he?” asked One, trying to stand. "Where's Five?"

Edward grimaced. “Would you like me to tell you, or would you like to see the video logs? I can’t access anything from the past twelve hours, it only gets uploaded at twelve hour increments. But you can see what happened when he was brought back.”

One nodded. “Show me.”

It hadn’t been what he was expecting. It felt… disconcerting, though even that wasn’t the right word to watch his neck get snapped after Five was tortured into unconsciousness. Three’s reaction to his death was even more odd. Attacking the barrier, for all the good it did him, and then collapsing against it? It just… wasn’t Three, not in the least. The shouting was, and maybe a little violence, but not this all-out attack on the barrier, and then collapsing? No.

Then the muscled guard came in and Three snapped, literally.

“What the… what the _hell_  did they dose him with?!” One asked in horror as he watched his shipmate tear into the guard.

“Nothing.” Edward replied with a grimace. “It’s a rare occurrence in Alphas called going Feral. Its usually triggered by a major negative emotional or psychological upheaval, and typically only happens with new arrivals who have not had time to get used to their new selves.” He shrugged. “They are reduced to the most basic of their Alpha natures: fight and kill. They will attack and kill anyone with no warning. They do not reason, they have no morals or conscious, and cannot be pleaded or bargained with.”

“Will he come out of it?” One whispered, eyes rooted to the screen as Three seemed to slump to the ground, the guard dead beside him.

“Sometimes, but not very often. And if they do, they are likely to go into it again. Usually they’re put down for the safety of the populace.”

The screen went blank.

“That’s it? What happened to him, and to Five?” One demanded. “And what do you mean, put down? As in killed? It’s not their fault when this happens, is it?”

“Feral Alphas, unless there is a way for them to control themselves are killed for the safety of the city; the only other choice would be to lock them up, and that isn’t fair to them, either.” Edward replied. “As for the what has happened since, all I know is someone in the Observing Room ordered the divider wall to be drawn back, to see what he would do to the Omega.”

One felt sick. While Three had loudly expressed his dislike for Five, he had seemed to be changing his tune recently…

Edward must have correctly interpreted the look of horror on One’s face because he added quickly, “As far as I know he did not attack her; he first actually mourned over your body before turning his attention to the Omega; at that point he seemed to have come out of his Feral episode.”

One leaned back in relief a little too fast and hit his head on the wall. Wincing, he asked, “Is there a way to let them know I’m ok? I am ok, aren’t I?”

Edward chuckled. “Yes, you’re ok. Like I said, the scientists all think you’re dead, so they will not come looking for you. But to answer your other question… I could find a few ways, but I don’t know how well they could keep it to themselves; right now, it might just be in their best interest to not tell them.”

As much as he disliked the statement, he did agree; Three might be able to keep up the charade, but not Five.

“Besides,” Edward continued with a grin, “I’ve been leaking information to the Civil Protection Unit for months; they’re planning a raid tonight. And I head the Commander of the City Guard herself has given her permission for three non-guard members to join them. An Alpha female, an Alpha male, and a Beta male from the recent ship crash on the shores of the Elin Ocean. Sound familiar?”

  
OoOoO

 

Three didn’t know what to do. He wanted to throw himself back away from Five, because she was stressed and afraid, and _he_  was the reason for it. On the other hand, he knew it was only a matter of time before someone else would come in here, and he was afraid she would be taken away, and who knew for what reason, or if she would even be brought back to him?

“Three? Are you ok?”

The raspy, cracking voice made Three look back down. Five was watching him, concerned; the fear was still there, but it was being countered by the concern. Beneath that was a large amount of pain.

He opened his mouth to lie to her, before closing it again. Finally, he rested a hand on her shoulder and said, “I don’t know, kid.”

“Did they do something to you?” she asked from her prone position.

Three shook his head. “No, don’t think so.” He ran the hand not resting on the Omega’s shoulder over his face. “I just… lost it, after seeing what happened to you, and then One…”

Five released her hold on One’s hand and reached up to cover Three’s, ignoring the tacky blood still on his skin. “You were angry.”

“Yeah.” Three agreed. Angry, scared, horrified, enraged…

“Your eyes are going back to normal,” she commented.

He looked down at her, confused. “What do you mean, back? What color are they?”

“Amber. You know, the ancient tree resin that’s been fossilized, sometimes with flowers or bugs in it? That color.”

Three didn’t know what to say to that, let alone want to ponder the cause for his eyes changing color after what had just happened. As long as he didn’t do it again, at least not on her, he didn’t really give a damn.

Under Five’s hand, her thumb rubbing slow circles on the back of his hand, Three started to feel calmer, the boiling rage which still sung through his veins cooled, to leave a deep ache of loss.

“Why are you still on the ground, kid?” he asked finally.

Five looked away from him, though her head didn’t move. “I can’t…”

“Why not?”

“I can’t… my legs. I can’t feel my legs. They won’t move."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there, he's still alive!! Told ya it'd be ok! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the chapter!
> 
> Trigger Warnings: Language, violence, panic attack (brought on by the next trigger, flashbacks of non-con, underage prostitution. Not detailed, but still. ye be warned). I think that's it.

“I can’t… my legs. I can’t feel my legs. They won’t move.”

It took a moment for her words to register in Three’s mind. Then he felt sick. “Kid, what the hell did they do to you this time?” he murmured, lifting the hem of her shirts. The shift in fabric revealed a large, dark bruise a little ways above her waist, and two burn marks on either side of her spine.

“How does it look?” Five asked as Three pulled her shirts back into place.

“Like you got hit with one hell of a hand stunner.” Three replied, sighing. “But I’ve never heard of stunners causing enough damage as what happened to you. Guess they’re experimenting with more than just stuff to inject people with.”

Five nodded in agreement, attempting to push herself up onto her elbows, her whole body shaking with the effort; Three wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the other under her stomach and helped her roll over before scooping her into his arms. He settled her in the corner of the same cell as One’s body, as far away from the dead guard and the doors as possible. Five winced as she clumsily adjusted herself against the two walls, biting her lip hard enough she was bleeding to keep from crying out in pain.

“What hurts?” Three asked, concerned. “Your legs?” he added hopefully.

“No, my back.” She reached behind herself, touching her side above where the bruise was. Then she touched her legs. “I still cant feel anything, and they won’t move.”

“When we get out of here, we’ll get you fixed up, kid.” Three said reassuringly, touching her chin. “Between all of us, we’ll find something. Even the Android will help, you know she will.”

Five leaned her head against the wall. “If we ever get out of here.” She looked over at him. “Did you…?”

Wordlessly, Three gave her a small smirk. “What do you think?”

“Thank gods...” she whispered. Then her eyes fell on One’s body. “I’m sorry about One…”

“Hey, hey!” Three lifted her chin until she met his eyes, wiping away a tear as it slid down her cheek; he could smell her guilt, shame and fear. “His death is not on you; it’s on _them_ ” – he pointed at the nearest camera – “it’s them who are at fault for his death, for whatever happened to you, and every other despicable thing they’ve done to the other people in here.”

“If I hadn’t hit Lucas, and broken his nose, maybe he wouldn’t have done that to One…” she murmured, voice breaking. “Maybe he would have left him, he’s of more interest to them, being an Inquara. They have plenty of Omegas, they don’t need yet another – ”

Three pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple. “And him and I would’ve been here, mourning over your body.” He whispered. “Do you really think he would’ve wanted you to die so he could live?”

Five was shaking as she replied, “Better him than me. He’s the good one, out of all of us.”

Three pulled the small Omega into his lap, carefully arranging her so she was comfortable. “You’re good too, kid. You both are saints compared to the rest of us.”

Though her head was still tucked against his shoulder, Five still managed to shake her head. “I haven’t killed anyone, least not that I remember. But… I’ve stolen, I’ve done things…” her breathing became rapid and uneven. “I-I’ve let… I-I… for a few bars, I…” her breath hitched. “we-we needed food, meds, and… and I… I let them.. .I-I sucked…” she choked. "I... I let them... They touched..."

Three held her tighter. The old him was in the back of his mind laughing, mocking him, ridiculing him for offering her comfort, for holding her, for caring; he ignored it. The new him felt boiling rage simmering beneath his skin at the thought of what Five had been forced to do to survive at gods knew what age.

Pressing a kiss to top of her head, he whispered, “It’s ok, it’s ok. You will never have to do that ever again. No one will ever force you again.” He kept murmuring reassurances, most of which probably went unheard as Five’s past continued to attack her, curled in his arms, one hand clenching his shirt.

Slowly she came out of the panic attack as he continued murmuring reassurances, one hand cupping her head, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on her skin as she slipped into a dazed, uneasy sleep.

They both woke sometime later to the sound of approaching multiple footsteps was briefly drowned out by the room divider sliding back into place and going black. Three tightened his arms around Five as the door slid open to admit several guards, all armed. They pointed their weapons at him. “Get up,” one of them, a Beta, ordered. When Three hesitated, the guard who had spoken pointed his weapon at Five. “ _Now_.”

Without taking his eyes off of the guards, Three lifted Five and settled her back in the corner before rising to his feet, his body rigid with rage as he glared at the threat.

“Over there,” the bossy Beta said, motioning towards the corner opposite Five. He went over slowly, eyes flickering from enemy to enemy as the guards kept their weapons pointing at him.

Two men in lab coats came in after it was deemed safe and headed for One’s body, a black body bag in hand. They were followed by an Alpha with captain’s bars; he looked from Three to Five and back again with interest.

Three felt the rage from earlier creeping back though his veins like fiery ice-water as they moved One’s body into the bag; he cocked his head, vision sharpening as he eyed the men and women surrounding them, wondering which would be best to attack first.

“Where are you taking him?” Three demanded as the two men left with One’s body.

The Alpha captain seemed to be in charge. He shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t care. I’m just in charge of the clean up crew.” His eyes shifted from Three to Five, ignoring the warning growl from Three beyond smirking as he continued to eye Five. “You’re all dismissed.”

“But sir – ” one of them began.

“He is no threat to me,” the Alpha said. “Go.”

When it was just them, the door slid shut. Three walked stiffly to stand by Five, eyes watching the other Alpha with distrust and suspicion, eyes dilated and somewhere between brown and amber.

“I do have to say, I’m surprised by you, Three. You’re very unusual. An Alpha being able to resist the call of an Omega in heat is startling in and of itself. But then that Alpha also turns Feral, and by that same Omega he didn’t fuck, is able to pull said Alpha away from the beast within.” The Alpha commented, stepping towards them. “I do have to wonder, though, how long your control will last until you fall on her and she ends up just like that guard you ripped to pieces.”

Three glared at him, shaking. “Never!”

The other Alpha smirked. “You can’t know that for sure. Maybe I should just put her out of her misery before you turn on her.” He reached for his sidearm.

Three lunged at the Alpha with a snarl, who seemed to have been expecting just such a reaction. He grabbed Three by the throat and threw him easily to the ground next to Five.

The Omega grabbed Three’s wrist as he started to lunge to his feet. “Three don’t – ”

He turned on her, grabbing her by her throat and roughly shoved her against the wall. She coughed as his hand tightened around her throat, but she held still, not struggling. “Three?” she wheezed. “Come back to me.” She touched his cheek. “Come… come back, Three.”

Three blinked, head cocked, mouth open in a soundless snarl as he panted, leaning close to her throat. After a moment, amber eyes fading to brown. “Kid?” He released her as if burned. “Five, I’m so sorry…” he touched her throat gently, the visible flesh above her collar red.

Five grabbed his wrist before he could pull away. “It’s ok, Three.” She touched his cheek again; he covered her hand with his. “It’s ok; I’m ok.”

“Miikaina Omega…”

Three looked over his shoulder, glaring at the Alpha who was eyeing Five with renewed interest. “Was that what you wanted?” he spat. “Did you want me to attack her? Did Lucas put you up to that?”

“That jumped-up Beta has nothing to do with it.” Said the Alpha, waving his hand in dismissal of the Beta. “No, I wanted to test your strength as an Alpha. I did not expect you to be able to revert to Feral so easily; I also did not expect your Omega to be able to pull you out just as easily. Perhaps she will still have a use, as broken as she is now.”

If Five hadn’t still been holding onto him tightly, Three would have tried to attack the other Alpha again. He settled for glaring. “What the fuck do you mean, Feral?”

“Feral. As in out of control, bloodthirsty, beyond reason. An indiscriminate killer. A rabid animal. A monster.” He folded his arms. “Very fitting, given you’re a murderer and a criminal. It shall be very interesting to watch you war with yourself and the call of a Miikaina.”

“Go to hell.” Three spat; he could feel the tug of the rage in his veins, urging he to let go, to attack the threat in front of him. If it hadn’t been for Five’s calming touch, he might have.

When Three didn’t move, the other Alpha smirked, and knocked on the door to be let out.

After the door was shut and they were alone, Five released Three’s wrist. He flopped down onto the floor next to her, head in his hands.

“What the hell is happening to me?” he murmured, almost sounding distraught.

Five reached out to touch his knee but stopped herself. “Perhaps you’re having a bad reaction to the atmosphere?”

“It didn’t happen until… until they killed One.” He muttered, dropping his hands into his lap and leaning back against the wall with his eyes squeezed shut. “After that I just... lost it.”

“Maybe that’s what triggered it. You were enraged at his death.”

Three ran a hand over his face. “But how long will this last? That bastard make it sound like it’s permanent.”

“Maybe it is,” Five replied softly. “If it is, you just need to learn how to control it, instead of the other way around.”

Three snorted humorlessly. “You make it sound so damn simple. It isn’t.”

Five leaned her head against his shoulder, a shiver making her twitch. “I believe you. But I also believe  _in_ you.”

Three wrapped his arm around the shivering Five, tucking her against his side; the bastards had decided to lower the temperature of their cell. Just fucking peachy.

“Thanks, kid.”

OoOoO

Finally, it was almost time. Two paced anxiously outside the enclosed, bullet-proof mobile Command Center that had been brought within a kilometer of their target. The Android and the human techs were in the process of making one final check that they had complete control of the cameras and had disabled the sensors. Apparently their security had not been as good as first anticipated, and they had not only gotten in quicker, but had also gotten control of just about everything.

Archie and Four were both sharpening their bladed weapons. It turned out Archie was an anomaly in the City Guard; he carried as many bladed weapons as Three carried guns, though he also carried guns. But as Four had said, a sword or knife doesn’t run out of bullets. Archie agreed with a chuckle when Two had repeated that.

“He’s right, you know. Besides, I can throw a blade faster than most can draw and aim their gun.”

Four almost smiled. “And as long as you can collect them, you won’t run out.”

Six had shaken his head, but strapped in two boot knives inside his boots. Two did the same, but she also wore two more guns holsters on her waist as well as the two strapped to her thighs and the spare cartridges. She was as ready as she would ever be; she just wished they could just get moving already.

“Is there an alarm we can trigger to make them evacuate?” Six asked suddenly from his seat on a crumbling wall.

Marica looked up from the blueprint she and Paretski were studying. “We could trigger a fire or chemical alarm,” she replied slowly. “But those would be investigated and disabled pretty quickly.”

“Commander, I may have an idea.” Evie said, reviewing something on her handheld. “They don’t have a name listed, but I have a location. They have an Alpha who has gone Feral. If his cell somehow got opened or he got loose, they’d lock down the whole facility and use the cameras to try and pinpoint his location before sending out guards to take him down. We could trick the system into thinking his door randomly opened and wipe him from the cameras in his cell.”

“And we could bottleneck the majority of the scientists in their labs and the soldiers in the Common Rooms,” her brother continued. “Then teams could take out the few hunting for the Feral Alpha.”

“What’s a Feral Alpha?” Two asked.

“An Alpha who has lost his mind; he doesn’t know who he is, or what he is doing. He or she becomes a killing machine until put down.” Marica told them grimly. “They rarely come out of it. It’s similar to an animal going rabid; though thankfully its not transferrable to another Alpha.”

“Does that happen often?” asked Six, horrified.

Marica shook her head. “No. Once or twice every couple of years. Sometimes there’s a trigger, sometimes not. And knowing what we’re about to raid, it could be chemically induced.” She looked over at Evie and Jacob. “Sounds like a good idea, especially if we can make some of their cameras go out, they’ll be even more afraid to go out and search if they can’t track him. Get ready to send the alert on my order.”

Two, Four, and Six did a final weapons check of their own as Marica checked in with the teams at their location and the other two; the Android had already hacked and dropped the jamming field.

“We good?” Two asked.

Four and Six each gave her disbelieving looks. “Like you need to ask,” Four said.

“Let’s go get our people back.” Six added.

Marica was heading back over to the Command Center with Captain Paretski when one of the Beta techs swore loudly.

“What happened?” Paretski demanded.

“I didn’t do it, sir, I swear! I was just bringing up the cameras in the cell of the Feral Alpha when the door unlock code was entered, and the door opened just as the lights went out. Cameras are also offline on that floor!”

Paretski was furious. “Something you did must’ve triggered it. How could you –”

“It doesn’t matter how, or why,” Marica interrupted. “But now we will have a Feral Alpha to deal with. Be prepared to shoot on sight. Showing it mercy will only get your throat ripped out. Let’s go!”

OoOoO

A dozing Three woke to the sound of the door clicking open just as the lights clicked off. He carefully extracted himself from a sleeping Five, who was curled up against his side in the still overly cool cell and got to his feet, waiting for guards to storm in, or worse, Lucas to come in.

No one came in.

Keeping to the shadows, he pressed himself against the wall beside the open door, listening. When he heard nothing he peered out; nothing, no one in either direction. The lights out there seemed to have gone out as well, leaving only the occasional red emergency lights every couple of meters along the ceiling. He could make out the hall, the stairs at the far end, the doors to other cells at the other end, despite the low lighting; most likely another perk of the Feral part of him. Finally something useful.

He hurried back to the stirring Five. “Kid, wake up. Time to go.”

“What happened? Do you think its…” she asked, glancing at the cameras as she blinked sleep from her eyes.

“Maybe. But either way I’m not going to just sit around here and wait to be rescued. Let’s go.” He crouched and started to gather her into his arms when she stopped him.

“Go. I’ll wait here. I’ll only slow you down.” She pushed at the arm he had under her knees. “Go meet up with them and come back for me.”

“No.” he said firmly. “I am not leaving you here for who knows what kind of monster to find you. We’ll be fine.” He scooped her up into his arms before she could protest further.

Three did his best to get them towards the surface, but since they were leaving from another cell most likely on a different level than the previous one, it was best guess at most. Strangely, they didn’t see anyone they couldn’t avoid thanks to the lights being out and his newly acquired heightened sight; they did see a few teams of soldiers running around guns and flashlights in hand, seemingly alarmed about something, but they stayed to the shadows and remained unnoticed.

After several hallways, staircases and a few dead ends Three had to set Five down in a shadowed corner; a red emergency light flashing a little ways behind them. When her back hit the wall she winced. He touched her shoulder. “Your back?”

She nodded, biting her lip. “It’s getting worse. But it’s still manageable, don’t worry.”

Three frowned at her blatant lie, but didn’t get the opportunity to argue with her about it. Dancing flashlight beams and the sound of running boots had Three back on his feet. A four man group of soldiers stood there, their guns aimed at him. One of them stepped forward. “Nice try, escaping in the confusion of everything. But you’d better come back with us, before we have to hurt you and your _toy_.” He nodded with his gun at Five.

“How about you let us go before I rip you all to shreds?” Three hissed in response, the now-familiar tingle in his veins.

Four red dots appeared on his chest as he crouched; fog was encroaching on his mind. He bit the inside of his cheek, fighting for control. He didn’t want to think of what could happen if he lost control again. He would probably create another bloodbath, or worse, attack Five again. Remembering becoming aware again with his hand tight around her throat and his teeth almost so… gods, never again.

He recognized two of the guards; they were among those who had held One and Five for Lucas. That realization helped him to focus the rage humming inside of him; he couldn’t do anything to save One, but he could stop them from getting their hands on him and Five again. He also noticed that the guns were aimed at him, not Five. They were not paying any attention to her yet. He wanted it to stay that way.

“What, you think you can go all Feral and take us all out before we nail you? Do you really want to take that chance?” He laughed when Three growled at him. “Oh wait, that’s right. You can’t reason with Ferals.” He nodded to the rest of his team. “Try not to hit the Omega. Take him ou –”

Anything else he had been going to say was cut off as his throat was crushed in Three’s hand, having crossed the distance between them faster than should have been humanly possible. Using the now-dead soldier’s body as a shield, Three grabbed another soldier’s gun, swinging it away and snapping it back, striking the man’s skull with the butt of the gun.

A bullet ripped through his arm from one of the remaining soldiers; still holding the dead man he threw the body towards the two remaining soldiers; one of them managed to dive out of the way. The last one was not as lucky as Three straddled the man before he could struggle to his feet. Three grabbed the guard by his neck and smashing his head repeatedly into the stone floor.

Growling, Three looked up at the terrified last soldier who was shaking so badly he couldn’t keep his gun aimed at Three. “P-please, please!” he pleaded. “P-p-please…”

When Three started towards him he fired his gun wildly, bullets spraying before Three seized him by the throat and rammed him into the wall. None of the bullets hit their intended target.

One hit Five.

OoOoO

“Two? Two, come in.” The Android said over their channel.

“Yes, what is it?” Two asked into her earpiece as they rounded another corner, the stairwell finally leveling out. They had only met one two-man team so far, but there was bound to be more once they got deeper into the maze of tunnels and cells inside of the former prison.

“You need to catch up as soon as possible with Captain Paretski and his team. They are about to encounter the Feral Alpha. You need to stop them before things get out of hand.”

“Why? I’m sure they can handle the Feral Alpha. Why do you think things might get out of hand?” asked Six as the peered around another corner. He held up a finger when Marica looked at him curiously.

“I do not believe you will want him to handle the Feral Alpha. It’s Three. He has Five with him. If there is a gunfight, I don’t believe either of them will come away unharmed.”

Two, Four, and Six took off together without a word.

Marica and Archie chased after them. “What is it?” she demanded.

“Three’s the Feral Alpha. He has Five with him, and Paretski and his team are about to shoot both of them.”

Marica paled. “If Three has gone Feral, there is very little any of you’ll be able to do. It’s very rare for a Feral Alpha to be able to regain control of themselves.”

Two halted to glare at the woman. “So what, we just give up on him?”

“I’m sorry, but you might have to.” She said firmly. “You said Five is there with him?”

Two, Four and Six all nodded.

“There might be some hope for him then. Like I said earlier, when an Alpha goes Feral, they lose themselves. They’ll kill indiscriminately, even their own Omega. The fact Five who isn’t his mate is still in his presence gives me hope. Let that thought give you hope as well.”

OoOoO

Captain Paretski and his team, ahead of Marica and the newcomers by a couple of minutes watched in horror as the Feral Alpha tore the four man team apart. It was already covered in what had to be dry or drying blood, probably from a pervious encounter with another squad of guards or lab workers. He levelled his weapon at the beast, the rest of his team doing the same as the third body hit the floor, his skull caved in. Then it turned on the last soldier, slamming it into the wall as the soldier fired his weapon; his neck broke with a sickening crunch.

The Feral Alpha dropped the guard’s body and spun in its crouched position to face them when someone in the shadows cried out in pain. A small female was hidden in the shadow of the corner. Paretski could barely make out a collar on her neck before the Feral Alpha stepped in front of the Omega, its body crouched as it seemed to be eyeing her. The Omega must have been hit by one of the ricocheting bullets from the last guard the Feral Alpha killed.

“Hey!” he shouted, trying to distract it as it knelt down in front of the wounded Omega, who had her hand held tightly against the shoulder not pressed into the corner. He didn’t want to think of the horrors the beast could do to such a small Omega.

Instead of tearing into her, or worse, it covered her hand with its own before glaring over its shoulder at them before turning back to the wounded Omega. Not typical Feral Alpha behavior, but he was not about to risk the lives of his men over that, not even for the wounded Omega. It could and would turn on her at any moment, and then it would come at them.

“Hey!” he yelled again. “We’re with the City Guard, under command of Commander Marica. Get away from her before we open fire!” he fired a warning shot above the pair.

Instead of attacking, or running, as Paretski had expected, the Feral Alpha scooted the wounded Omega into the corner, shielding her with its own body as two of his lieutenants opened fire.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three things.  
> 1\. Sorry there was nothing with One this time. I tried, and got absolutely zip. Will do better next time.
> 
> 2\. The interactions between Three and Five, including the OOC touching are because of how I am designing my ABO pack dynamics (think the werewolf, shifter, vampire, etc books Mercedes Thompson and Alpha/Omega 'verses by Patrica Briggs. If you haven't read them, I HIGHLY recommend them!!). In there, Omegas are very rare; they, like standard ABO enjoy platonic touches (most no matter rank do, including Alphas,). Just... in here, Five is like that, thus the Miikaina Omega. Will be explained in better detail in the story in coming chapters. Three touching Five is platonic, not sexual. They both gain comfort from it (though Three doesn't know it), and he can sense it gives HER comfort, though it's only a subconsious realization so far.
> 
> 3\. Because I am designing my own ABO 'verse (somewhat), if something doesn't make sense, please let me know so I know to address it in the story. What makes sense to me in the story becuase I am writing it might not to some of you readers, and I don't want that!
> 
> Thanks!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here ya go! might come back and edit the last quarter or so later.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: semi-bloody scenes, language, reference to abuse, noncon drug, rape, and violence.

“Paretski, do not fire on the Feral Alpha! I repeat, do _not_ fire upon the Feral Alpha unless under attack!” Marica’s voice called out over the comm.

“Cease fire, cease fire!” Paretski ordered his men. Confused, they obeyed, keeping their weapons trained on the Feral Alpha –

– well, where the Feral Alpha had been; faster than should have been possible the it scooped up the wounded Omega female and bolted down the hall away from them. Paretski spun his heel. “What the hells, Marica?!” he demanded angrily. “We agreed to shot to kill on sight of that animal!”

“I’ll explain when we get to your position. Do you have eyes on him?”

“No, he took off with a small Omega female.”

Another voice broke in, “An Omega female? What about a Beta or Omega male?”

“Well, well. Captain Paretski. What brings you down to my tunnels?”

Paretski spun around, he men doing the same; he knew that damn voice.

Lucas stood alone in the middle of the hallway, hands in his pockets, a cold smile on his lips. “I wondered when you and your Unit would come calling; took a lot longer than I had thought.” He shrugged theatrically. “Guess I gave you more credit than you deserve.”

Paretski glared at the traitorous bastard.

“You!”

Lucas didn’t turn around as Marica, Two, Four, Six, Archie, Evie and Jacob filed into the passageway behind him. Each of them had blood that was not theirs flecked on their clothing; Four and Archie’s swords also bore blood.

Each and every one of them looked at Lucas with murder in their eyes.

“You fucking _BASTARD_!”

OoOoO

The first thing she became aware of as consciousness stole away the painless dark she had been resting in was that she was laying down on something moderately comfortable, and was finally warm.

The second thing she noticed was the pain.

Her right upper arm was a dull, annoying throb; the rest of her was rather uncomfortable. Her back, on the other hand, felt like someone had taken a steel pipe to it, and then had run it through her for good measure. The pain only increased when she tried to move, a hiss escaping from between clenched teeth.

“Hey, hey, hey, kid, take it easy.”

A hand appeared on her shoulder, keeping her laying down. She blinked up at the shadowed figure, unable to make out his face, backlit by a single light across the room; her pulse skyrocketed as she realized not only was she laying flat on her back in the corner of some room, but a strange man was crouched over her. She struggled to move away from the hulking figure, a hand reaching blindly behind her and coming into contact with cold stone while the other hand slashed at the unknown figure in a weak attempt to scratch him.

The man removed his hand and leaned away from her, fumbling with something. After a moment, a battery operated torch on a table previously unseen in the dark flared to life, throwing shadows on the wall and casting the man’s face into light.

Three.

“Three?” she asked hoarsely, her hand still on the wall behind her. “What happened? Where are we?”

Three reached out to touch her shoulder but pulled his hand back. “We were cornered by some of Lucas’ goons. I… disposed of them, only for another squad to show up.” He grimaced. “You were hurt from a ricocheting bullet. I was checking on you when two of the newcomers starting shooting but were stopped from their leader; I wasn’t going to hang out and find out why. So I scooped you up and ran. You passed out on the way here.”

He paused for a moment, motioning to the room they were in. Bigger than either cell they had been in, cabinets lined the wall, filled with what looked like medical equipment. A door in the far wall was guarded by two sets of cots, two of them missing their mattress. “Seems like they’ve forgotten about this place,” Three said. “A good layer of dust on a lot of it, but there are no cameras, and the water still runs, so it seemed like a good place to hide out until we figure out what to do next.”

The mention of running water made Five’s throat pinch; coughing sent her the pain in her back into overdrive, blackness edged the corners of her vision. Three propped her up and held a glass of water to her lips. The cool water was the best thing she had ever tasted.

Cough and dry throat finally abating, Five looked at Three, finally noticing he was clean of the blood which had previously coated him and his clothing. He saw her looking at him, and gave her a lop-sided smile. “Lucky me there’s a hazmat shower and spare uniforms. The blood…” he made a face. “Smelling the blood was making it... hard to control myself. I had to get it off.”

Five nodded. “How are you feeling now?” she asked, attempting to push herself on her elbows and sit up, only to find her legs wouldn’t cooperate. Oh yeah. They didn’t work anymore.

Three hastily grabbed the pillows off of the remaining cots before helping the Omega sit upright, propping the pillows up behind her. Only after she was comfortable he replied, “Better, I guess. I tended to our wounds, set up some booby traps down either side of the hall, as well as the air vents. Don’t want one of them to pull a you and steal all of my bullets.” He gave her a look of mock anger.

Five chortled. “You could always just seal it shut.”

The Alpha waved a hand in dismissal. “Nah. Don’t have a heat gun in here anyways.”

“How did you booby trap them all anyways?” she asked curiously.

“Broken glass bottles; if they step on the glass we’ll hear it. Or at least I will.” He shrugged when Five gave him a quizzical look. “Even when my… other half is under control, my senses are still heightened. That’s why I had it dark in here before except for the emergency lighting. I can still see and hear and smell so much more than I did before I went off my nuts.”

Five nodded. “Guess that’s rather helpful right now. What other traps did you lay?”

“Metal trays filled with metal instruments. Used some gauze rolls to make trip wires. Liquid soap and hand sanitizer to make them slip and fall. Stuff like that.”

“Do you think they’ll come looking for us? That other group who stopped shooting? Do you think they work for Lucas too?” Five asked, rubbing her hands together in an effort to remove the dirt and blood from them.

“I don’t know, kid. But I’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to people sneaking up on us, good guys or not.” He noticed her efforts. “Gimme a second, I’ll bring you some warm water and you can clean your self up some.”

To Five’s surprise, the water he brought her was actually quite warm, which more than made up for the rough texture of the cloths he brought her. She was able to clean her hands, face and neck; though she dearly wished she could wash elsewhere. The dried slick between her legs from her drug-induced heat made her feel disgusting, and it smelled even to her.

“Five? Do you want me to help you with your clothes?” The question came quietly, roughly.

It took her a moment to process his question. Her immediate reaction was one of fear; having a man help her undress brought on too many bad feelings a bits and pieces of forgotten memories.

He must have been able to scent her fear, or hear her heart pounding, because he added, “I’m not going to do anything, kid. If you don’t want to, then don’t. I just thought I’d offer, since you’re getting yourself cleaned up.”

Five closed her eyes for a moment. She could hear the honesty in his voice, and a hint of underlying anger, most likely at the reason for the need for her to clean herself up down there. There was no hint at all of lust, sex, or interest.

“Yes, please,” she finally whispered.

Three pulled back the blankets and waited on his knees next to her as she undid her pants and started pushing them down. With a hand under her knees and an arm behind her, Three lifted her up so she could push her pants and underwear down to her thighs; the pain in her back went up when he lifted her up. Five gritted her teeth as she cleaned herself, her cheeks pink from modesty and embarrassment.

Throughout the entire process, Three kept his eyes fixed on the wall behind them to give her a little bit of privacy until she was finished, setting her gently back down on the pallet. Five, her cheeks a conflict of blushing and going white from the pain couldn’t meet Three’s eyes as he pulled the blankets back up to her waist.

Without comment Three disposed of her bathing water and refilled the water bottle he had found with fresh cool water. He had been fearing another episode of having to war with his body and new biology, but nothing happened. No lusty hum of blood in his ears – vastly different from when his Feral side was trying to take over – no erection, nothing.

When he handed the fresh water bottle to Five, he could see she was barely breathing, fists clenching the blanket and body rigid.

“Do you want something for the pain?” he asked.

When Five nodded wordlessly, Three investigated the medicine cabinet, having seen a couple of morphine injectors. Luckily they were automatics, all he needed to was enter his rough guess at her weight, and the injector did the rest.

The morphine kicked in a little too slowly for his liking, Three grumbled to himself as he brought Five a jacket only one size too large for her that he had found. But as he helped her into it he noticed her movements were less rigid and stiff; then her stomach rumbled.

“Good thing I found some only slightly expired protein bars during my explorations of the room!” Three commented with a grin. “They’re even the not so terrible green ones.” He dug out two and handed them to her.

“Right now I’d put up with those yellow ones and be happy,” Five replied, accepting the protein bars gratefully, eating them both in record time with sips of her water bottle to help them go down.

The combination of food, water, morphine and being moderately clean put Five out like a light shortly after she finished eating the second protein bar. After one last round of the room, air vents and hall to make sure all of his traps and alerts were in place Three tucked the Omega in, drawing the blankets up to her shoulders. He gently touched her unbruised cheek.

“How are you doing this to me, kid?” he murmured. He didn’t understand how she was able to pull him out of his fits of mindless rage; even now he felt calmer being with her. He also cared about her welfare and safety, something which was totally against who he was even after the mind-wipe. Especially now, with her unable to defend herself…

That led his mind back to One. Three knew, truly, that he had done the right thing by escaping and getting word to Two and the others of their whereabouts. Lucas just used it as an excuse to hurt Five and kill One; he probably would have sooner or later anyway.

Didn’t make him feel any less guilty.

Five was _his_ ; especially when no one else was around whom he trusted to protect her. Hells, even Two, Four and Six he thought of as his; they were a team. They watched out for each other, no matter the arguments which broke out. When it came down to it, arguments were put aside and they showed a united front to whoever was threatening them.

But One… One was also _his_ , and his alone. To have been unable to protect him, or avenge him… it hurt, deep inside. And he didn’t understand that, nor did he particularly  _like_ feeling like this towards another man.

But, Three’s mind argued as he settled on his own cot in front of Five, One mattered to him. Different than the rest of their pack, the tie he felt towards the young man…

Three groaned, dragging his hands over his face.

What the hell was happening to him?

 _Damn_ _planet_.

OoOoO

One wasn’t sure what to have been expecting when Edward led him from the spare room to the kitchen. The woman setting steaming dishes of food on the table while little Neville and Luna set silverware at five place settings had dark skin and hair. She was his height and almost his build, if not a little taller. A red leather collar was around her neck.

She turned towards them when they entered. “Welcome to our home, such as it is, One. My name is Natalya. I take it my husband as brought you up to speed on everything?”

“He has explained a great deal, yes,” One replied. “I thank you both for your hospitality.”

“You are staying for dinner, aren’t you, mister?” Neville asked shyly from next to his father.

One smiled. “Of course. What did you and your mother make?”

Neville launched into detailed descriptions of the green salad, whipped potatoes with cheese and bits of meat, and a roast of some sort, claiming it was his favorite meal. It turned out to be quite good, though with starvation and protein bars making up the vast majority of meals since waking from stasis, One didn’t really have much to compare it to.

Edward and Natalya kept up polite conversation with One over dinner while Neville and his sister conversed in a language One didn’t recognize.

“Luna, for some reason the doctors cannot understand, cannot speak. And yet she is able to converse with Neville, her twin, in a language of their own.” Edward explained when One asked. “They also cannot explain how she can do that, well how both of them can. It just… happened one day when they were playing in the garden. This was before we moved here.”

“They just made up their own language without even trying?” One asked, surprised.

Natalya nodded. “Neville can’t explain it either. He just said they both knew how.”

“That’s amazing. Have either of you been able to learn it?”

Both parents shook their head. “Not really,” Edward replied. “Occasionally we can catch a word or two, like water, sleep, book. But other than that, no. But she can understand us when we speak to her in English.”

One’s next question was cut off by a beeping from a handheld device on the counter. Edward jumped to his feet and grabbed it while Natalya watched him worriedly.

“The attack is underway,” he murmured as he donned his flak jacket and checked his weapons. “They’re hitting the lab area the hardest, trying to bottle them inside of there, and the guards in their Commons, since most of them are in there hiding because somehow the Feral Alpha got loose.”

“Three’s running around?” One asked. “What about Five?”

After a moment and couple of searches later Edward replied, “He took her with him. That’s all they know, since the majority of the cameras are down.” He looked at Natalya. “Take Luna and Neville and take the back way out; I’ve warned them to be on the watch for you.”

Natalya got to her feet, ushering the children towards what had to be their room before turning back to her mate. “What about you? You promised when this came, you would come with us.”

Edward grimaced. “I know I did. But with that Feral running around, One needs to find him and the Omega with him before another party does, regardless of whether they’re with Lucas or with Marica.”

“Why would you purposely go seeking a Feral?” Natalya demanded. “It could kill you!”

“It seems the Omega with him is helping him from turning,” replied Edward as he began strapping gun holsters to his thighs. “And he only turned Feral after witnessing One’s death, which means –”

“ – which means he probably won’t attack One.” Natalya finished with a sigh and a glare. “But you’re another Alpha, a very dominant one which he will see as a threat. Feral attack anyone and everyone, especially those they see as a threat!”

“I can go find him myself,” One said before Edward could reply. “Just give me some weapons and a handheld. You should see your family to safety.”

Natalya shot him a grateful look while Edward frowned. “The other guards are far less likely to think it suspicious if they see an Alpha and a Beta in gear than a lone Beta wandering around.”

One shrugged. “I’ll manage; I’m good at that. Please, go with your family. If I’ve learned anything since we crashed onto this planet, it’s that there’s not always safety where there should be, and you can’t trust those you think you can. Go with your family, you should be protecting them, getting them to safety.”

It took several more minutes of arguing but Edward eventually agreed to go with his family. He outfitted One with some of his guns, a holster on each leg with spare cartridges as well as a larger weapon Three would’ve been tempted to steal on his back.

“Here is where the Feral Alpha, your friend Three, was last seen,” Natalya said, passing a handheld to One. “This is a complete map of the tunnels, and the dot here” – she moved a finger across the screen to move the map – “is you. The video feed if offline, probably techs working in from the outside to give the CPU teams the advantage.”

Edward laughed at One’s expression. “Yes, my dear Omega mate is very handy with technology. It’s how I was able to send alerts to the CPU and OPU without alerting my employers.”

“Good for you, both of you.” One smiled. “You remind me of Five; she’s also good with computers and technology.”

“I would love to meet this friend of yours.” Natalya said as she swung a pack onto her shoulders. “Once this all dies down, we’ll get into contact with you somehow.”

Andrew emerged from another room and handed One a uniform. “Here, we’re about the same size. This should help you get where you need to without raising suspicion or getting shot.”

The uniform had fit, for the most part, though a little long, though that was better than the other possibility. He changed quickly and strapped the thigh holsters into place, extra cartridges on his belt along with a taser, flashlight and three heavy duty ziptie cuffs. The cap had a broad enough visor to keep his face cast in shadow; now he only had to hope no one stopped him and got a good look and recognized him.

When One emerged from the bathroom Neville and Luna were talking quietly in their personal language; he seemed to be reassuring her about something. She nodded seriously when he asked her a question.

Once Andrew had his weapons together, he guided them down two sets of hallways before they parted ways. “Watch your back,” the Alpha told One seriously. “Take your time, and try to act like you belong here. My younger brother, Alphonse, will try to meet up with you. This is how you’ll know it’s him…”

There weren’t as many patrols as One would have guessed; he supposed the idea of running into Three, a Feral Alpha who had already killed at least one of their own with his bare hands, gave them every right to be wary, even afraid. Even he wasn’t sure what would happen if he ran into Three when he wasn’t himself.

The map Natalya had made for him led him to a narrow, dark staircase which led to a hidden opening behind a faded banner of some sort; there were voices on the other side.

OoOoO

“You fucking _BASTARD_!”

Marica was shaking with fury, her gun pointed at her former second in command.

Smirking, Lucas turned his back at Paretski and his team to face the new arrivals. “Well well, ‘bout time you all got here. You just missed the show, by the way.”

“Give me one reason to not shoot you right now.” Marica spat.

Lucas shrugged, making a face. “weelll, you could. But it wouldn’t do anything, not really.”

“What the hells is he talking about?” Two asked, coming level with Marica, her own gun pointed at the Beta.

“I don’t know,” muttered Marica. “Can’t be anything good.”

“What the hells happened to _them_?” Jacob asked, motioning to the bodies at the far end of the hall.

“A bloodbath,” Four muttered.

“Oh that?” Lucas said, feigning disinterest. “That was the show you missed.”

Marica looked past him to Paretski. “What the Hells happened?”

“The Feral Alpha happened.” He told her, both of them ignoring the look of glee on Lucas’ face as he looked from one of them to the other, then to the rest of the Raza crew.

“Three did all of that?” Two demanded. “How?”

“His bare hands.”

“No weapon at all?” asked Marica in disbelief.

Paretski shook his head. “He’s the quickest, strongest Feral Alpha I’ve ever even heard of; I don’t think we could’ve taken it – him – on with serious casualties on our side.”

Lucas burst out laughing at the looks of shock on their faces. “You think that’s bad? You should see what he did when he first went Feral! It was awesome!”

He tossed the handheld tucked under his arm towards Two, who caught it.

The video started in a white cell with a clear divider; Three was alone on one side, pacing like a caged animal; One and Five were dragged into the other. Lucas seemed to be taunting Three before motioning for the guards, who dragged One towards to rear wall.

“What the fuck did you do to Five?!” Four snarled, charging towards the Beta, sword raised.

Evie caught the charging Alpha. “Don’t! We need him alive, as much as it pains me to say it. We need him to find them.”

Four, breathing heavy, allowed her to pull him back.

Then One’s neck got snapped.

A strangled noise escaped from Two’s throat. Archie caught the handheld as it slipped from Two’s hands, one of which was still holding her gun; the other was holding Lucas against the wall, previously mention gun pressed into his temple.

He laughed at her. “You want to kill me, go ahead. You’ll never find your precious Three and Five without me!”

“We’ll manage,” she hissed, shoving the cold metal further against his skin.

“He doesn’t deserve the swift mercy of a bullet.” Four said beside her, eyes narrowed.

Behind them, Six swore. “Two, Four? You need to see this.”

Lucas was smirking when Two eventually released him to stalk back to Six. “Told you, awesome!”

Two, Four, Marica, and the others watched in horror as Three tore into the guard with his bare hands and teeth, blood from torn arteries painting him and the cell bright red.

“That… that was him going Feral?” Two asked in shock.

“Yup.” Lucas answered. “Sadly nothing fun happened afterwards when we pulled back the divider.”

Marica stepped forward, gun ready. “You’re under arrest for murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, illegal experimentation of humans, and a whole host of other charges. Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

Lucas made a show of considering her orders. “Hmm… how about no.”

“Do it, or we’ll shoot you. No one would blame us,” Jacob said. “not when they read the list of charges.”

“When will you idiots understand that it doesn’t matter what you do to me?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Six demanded.

“I’ve already won.” Lucas said, as if that should have been obvious to all of them. “I’ve been passing information for years; you can only imagine how much. And now, I’ve killed one of your new people, injured another and turned the last one into a mindless beast. Where do you think I’m coming out behind? What makes you think I’ll come in quietly, or dead?”

“Well seeing as they’re your only two options, you’d better decide quick!”

Lucas shook his head. “Hmm, nah. I choose option three.”

“Option three?” Marica asked warily.

“He’s a clone. That’s his option three. That’s why he’s not scared to die.” A voice said.

Lucas clapped his hands. “Kudos to the voice behind the screen! Glad someone here has some brains.”

One stepped out from his hiding place, large gun aimed at the clone.

“ _One?!_ ”

One glanced over at his shipmates, all of whom were staring at him.

“How – how are you – but we just watched the video!” Two exclaimed. “We watched you die!” He –” she motioned to Lucas “ – he snapped your neck!”

“A clone,” One told her. “They wanted to punish Three for his escape attempt, but didn’t want to lose an Inquara for their experiments. So they made a clone of me.”

“Huh,” Lucas said, head cocked. “They told me you died from adverse reactions to a drug. Guess they were lying. Unless you’re another clone.”

“Not all of the people here are as loyal to the cause as you are. I had help.” One spat. “I’m me, not a clone. Unlike yourself.”

Two stepped forwards, but Four grabbed her shoulder. “We don’t know for sure if what he is saying is true." He looked at Marica. “Do you have a way to check?”

Evie stepped forward, detaching a small device from her belt. “I do.” She scanned first One, then Lucas. “One’s telling the truth, about himself and Lucas – well, the Lucas-clone.”

Two pulled herself out of Four’s grasp and hugged One. “I thought we’d lost you,” she whispered, her voice thick. “We thought you were dead.”

One patted her back. “I think that was the point, Two.”

The Lucas-clone yawned loudly. “As mind-killing as all this mushy reunion shit is –”

“You shut your mouth!” Marica snarled. “Tell us where Five and Three are!”

The clone shrugged. “They were right down there, as you can tell by the bloody, mangled bodies. Where they went after that, no clue.”

“Can you find out where they went?”

“If I felt like it, and you and your techies hadn’t crashed our camera systems, probably. But they are crashed, and I don’t feel like it.”

“He’s not going to tell us anything.” Four said, hands clenching the hilt of his sword.

Marica sighed heavily. “No. No, he isn’t.” She aimed her weapon a shot the clone in his right leg.

The Lucas-clone collapsed onto the ground with a cry, hands scrambling to cover the wound. A second bullet shattered his left shoulder's ball and socket joint. Clone or not, it still could bleed and feel pain.

No one said a word; the cameras were down, and as much as they all would have willingly dealt out punishment to this Beta, none of them could argue that out of all of them, it was Marica who deserved to be the one carrying it out, even if it wasn’t the true target for her rage.

A third shot blew two of the fingers pressed to the leg wound clean off.

“Too bad Lucas won’t be able to feel all of this,” she hissed. “But when I get my hands on him, he will.”

The forth shot shattered the back of the clone’s skull.

After a couple of beats everyone lowered their weapons. One found himself almost falling over as he was bear-hugged by Six; Four clapped his shoulder in greeting.

Everyone went to check out the dead bodies, giving the four some privacy; Marica starting going through the handheld the Lucas-clone had been carrying.

“Are you alright?” Two asked worriedly.

“Nothing some food, water and rest won’t cure.” One assured her. “Beyond getting beat up and having my blood drawn, they didn’t get to do too much to me.”

“What about Five and Three?” Four asked.

One grimaced. “They did the same to them. They also… tested some drug on Five.”

“What?! What was it?” Two demanded, her question being echoed by Four and Six.

One took a moment before saying, “They first injected her with something that healed her really quick, from her bruises down to the wounds on her wrists.” He made a face. “Said they wanted a clean slate with which to gauge the next drug with.”

“Oh gods,” Marica moaned, eyes on One. “They didn’t – they didn’t, did they? Not an inducer…”

One nodded.

“What kind of inducer?” Four asked.

“A heat inducer; a chemical one which tricks the body into going into heat.” Marica explained grimly. “You remember the explanation of a heat from your first night here, right?”

They all nodded.

Marica continued, “Heats can also trigger Alphas to go into rut; not typically Alphas who are taking suppressers, but Alpha who aren’t will.” When the two Alphas and one Beta looked at her in confusion, she added, “An Alpha not on suppressers and not bonded with an Omega of their own are the most likely to go into rut when they scent an Omega go into heat, especially drug induced ones, and mate with them.”

“They wanted to make Three rape Five.” One said bluntly when they still looked confused.

Two looked ill; Four and Six looked murderous.

“But she had a reaction to it,” One told them. “She was in pain, and was burning up even as she shivered; later on she started coughing up blood. Her body still went into heat; I could smell it. But it didn’t make her… eager… to mate.”

Marica nodded, her eyes sad. “It happens, sometimes, especially with the black market drugs. They can be fatal. They put the Omega into extreme pain even as the reproductive organs go into overdrive readiness.”

“Did… did Three…” Two tried to ask, but couldn’t say the words.

“No. No, he didn’t.” One hurriedly assured them. “I mean, I think her heat scent did at least start to trigger his rut. He stayed as far away from her as he could, bruising up his knuckles as he bit them to distract himself. He didn’t move until her heat scent started to fade and she started to cough up blood.”

“What happened then?” Two asked when he paused.

One continued, “Then he came over to check on her. By then her temperature had plummeted, she was still in pain and coughing up blood. He had already covered her with his jacket when this all first started happening. When that all started he got behind her and held her, wrapped in his arms to try and keep her warm.” He chuckled. “And because she refused to let go of my hand, I fell asleep on his shoulder.”

There was a beat of silence. Then Six scoffed. “No way.”

Two nodded in agreement. “There’s no way Three would do that.”

“He did more than that.” One told them, his face serious. “When Lucas attacked Five at the beginning, he fought the guards trying to get to her. When another threatened to rape both Five and me, he did the same. He’s been changing a lot in here.”

Evie joined them, holding the handheld she’d stolen off of Marica; she was trying to keep herself from laughing as she handed it to Two. “Here’s your proof.”

It was a screengrab from a security camera of Three holding Five, her head tucked under his chin, arms wrapped protectively around the Omega who was indeed covered by his jacket. One, still holding Five’s hand, was asleep on Three’s shoulder; Three’s temple and cheek rested against the top of One’s head.

Six and Two burst out laughing; even Four chuckled.

“I am so keeping that for blackmail!” Six said, a tear running down his cheek.

Two’s chuckle died out as she studied the photo again. “Are you – are you and Five chained to the wall?”

One nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t want up getting away in case someone wanted to do something to us.”

Jacob and Archie, who had been walking back over to them raised their weapons and pointed them down the hall; two guards and a lab technician raised their hands, weapons falling to the floor.

“We come in peace,” the technician, a Beta, said. “My name is Alphonse; my older brother is Edward.” He looked at One. “I am the one who faked your death so we could get you out after they made a clone of you.”

One stepped between the two groups. “You’re Alphonse?” he asked, mildly disbelieving.

Alphonse, a good head to a head and a half shorter than his Alpha brother nodded sheepishly. “I know, we don’t look much alike. What did you think of my niece and nephew?”

“Very cute. Luna and Neville are both very talkative with me, especially about what we were having for dinner.”

“I doubt you understood Luna.” Alphonse said, head cocked to the side. “But I understood the need to check. My brother told you I’d bring help and meet you, didn’t he?”

One nodded. “Yes, he did. He also said that you’d know what the first words he said to your daughter River were.”

“His first words to her were ‘Hello, sweetie’.” Alphonse replied, smiling. “I can’t wait to see her again.”

“One?” Two – and everyone else – still had their guns pointed at the newcomers. “Can we trust him?”

One nodded. “Yes.”

Slowly the two teams lowered their weapons, though they still watched the three with wary eyes. Marica twitched when Alphonse – or Al as he liked to be called, he told them – stepped forward.

“I think I know where your Feral Alpha and wounded Omega went.”

OoOoO

Three woke from a surprisingly sound sleep to the sound of crunching glass and a muffled oath from the hallway.

“Three?” Five breathed behind him.

“Yeah, I hear it,” he murmured, getting to his feet. “Stay there.”

Silently he padded over to the doorway, peering around it. Three guards, two Alphas and a Beta were barely 10 meters from where he was, and were getting closer.

“Let’s take a break up there, I gotta hit the head.” One of the Alpha said.

Two meters away, they stopped. The other Alpha inhaled deeply. “Do you smell that?” He grinned. “An Omega. Guess we’ll have the chance to get more than one kind of head, boys.”

Rage sunk into Three’s bones at his insinuation; his veins hummed, eyes dilated, fingernails hardened.

No one would ever touch Five.

OoOoO

They just had a few turns left when they heard the screams. They picked up the pace, Two and Marica in the lead, flashlights bouncing off of the walls as they ran. Glass crunched underfoot as they neared the final turn; the screams had died out.

The floor of the hallway was littered with broken glass and metal trays filled with instruments. Splattered haphazardly over all of that was blood; on the floor, on the walls. Two bodies, one of which was in pieces lay almost halfway down the hall among the broken glass; a third body lay just the other side of the only door along the hall, which was supposedly an out of use med bay.

A figure was crouched over the third body. Blood was on its face and dripping from its mouth. Blood was also on its clothes and coated its claw-shaped hands. When It caught sight of them, halted at the far end of the hall, it snarled a challenge.

“Oh, my gods…Three.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First person who can name both new fandom references in the latest chapter wins cookies!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short...
> 
> Trigger Warning: moderate blood/violence/gore scene/discription.

Two, Four, One, and Marica were investigating the right branch of the split tunnel, full of empty old fashioned cells which looked eerily like the ones when Five had been drugged in when Six’s voice came over the radio, informing them that they had found Three.

“Is he ok? Is Five with him?” Two asked urgently.

There was a short pause before the Beta answered, “He… appears to be mostly unharmed. I don’t see Five, and Three is in no condition to talk. Looks like a team of guards that work here came across him. They’re all dead.”

“How can Three be in no condition to talk if he seems alright?”

“He went Feral again.” Evie answered when Six didn’t say anything. “We’re holding position at the far side of the hall, but he definitely sees us as a threat, though he hasn’t attacked or advanced yet. He seems to be guarding a doorway which, according to the building schematics Al gave us is an out-of-use med bay; I’ll bet your Omega is in there. You’d better get up here, asap. Make sure your other Omega is with you.”

OoOoO

Six couldn’t help but stare in horror at his shipmate and comrade down the hall from their position. The lights flickering back on threw the scene into even more stark relief than just the emergency lighting had done. Blood coated his rigid hands and fingers and splattered his clothing; there was also blood on his face and even his mouth and teeth. It creepily reminded him of the spaceship they had been sent to investigate and Two had been bitten. At least Three didn’t seem to be actively _eating_  the dead guards. Yet.

When Jacob spoke to give directions to Two and the rest of her group, Three roared, vaguely sounding like the word ‘no’. Evie, Archie and Jacob levelled their weapons and clicked off the safeties.

“No, don’t!” Six shouted, stepping forward, hands raised in placation, to both the Feral, though he knew the motion was useless, as well as the three Alphas with guns. “Just, please, don’t. He’s feeling threatened.”

“Well so are we,” quipped Jacob angrily. “From what I’ve seen, he’s advanced further than any Feral Alpha we’ve ever recorded. He’s faster, and stronger, than he should be, even as a Feral. I’m not going to risk our lives because your friend might be able to come back to himself!”

Before Six could stop him, Jacob had fired a warning shot into the air over Three’s head.

On bent legs, crouched like an animal Three started advancing down the hall towards them.

“Three, no!”

A hand snaked out from the open doorway Three was passing, close to the ground to grab the Feral Alpha’s ankle. He didn’t seem to notice at first, taking a few more steps down the hall and dragging Five behind him. It took her shouting his name a few more times before seemed to notice.

Five released his ankle when he staggered around to face her, dropping to one knee, then both.

Jacob swore and cocked his weapon; Six grabbed the barrel and shoved it towards the floor. “Hold your fire! She’s reaching him!”

Jacob yanked his weapon out of the Beta’s grip. “Do not give me orders, Beta,” he hissed. “I am an Alpha, you do not get to give me orders!”

“I will when you mean harm to my friends!” Six retorted, eyes glaring into Jacob’s.

Jacob held his gaze. “Stand. Down.” He growled. “You will **_stop_ ** interfering with how I am dealing with this! **_Be_ _silent_**!”

Six opened his mouth to say something, and found he couldn’t move or speak.

“Enough, Jacob.” Evie interrupted, stepping between Six and her brother; once their locked gaze was broken, Six found he could move again. She motioned down the glass (and blood and bodypart) strewn hallway. “He’s not attacking, and we know he’s had plenty of opportunities to hurt the Omega, and has yet to do so. He’s _protecting_  her, you stupid shit! It’s time  _you_ stand down!”

“You _dare_ to give me orders, sister?” Jacob hissed, eyes snapping with fury. “You are younger than I am! **_You_ _will_ ** –”

“I might be younger by minutes, but we both know of the two of us, _I_ am more dominant!”

Six turned away from the arguing Alphas to look down the hallway at his shipmates. Three was facing them again, chest heaving. His eyes were squeezed shut, and his hands were clenched into fists; Five, sprawled in front of him, this time on her back, was covering one of them with her hand and whispering words he couldn’t catch.

Why was she laying on the ground?

Six frowned, hoping she wasn’t injured. He could see a bandage on her upper arm, and some scratches and bruises on her face, neck and hands. There was what looked like dried blood splatters on her shirt under the military jacket she was wearing, but no corresponding wounds. Perhaps she had been present when Three had killed someone else?

Now that Evie had forced her brother into silence and ordered the rest of the guards to lower their weapons, Six took a single step forward. “Three? Five?”

“ _Don't!_ ”

The guttural snarl sent the metaphorical hairs on the back of Six’s neck up; he froze. Three’s eyes opened and met his own, and he immediately understood Marica, Evie, Jacob and everyone else’s fears of a Feral Alpha. Even in the dim light he could see Three’s eyes were not the color they should be, but were an almost glowing deep yellow, and he could see the barely restrained animal behind them, held back only by a weak leash most likely held in the hand Five still had on him. He knew that if that leash broke, he would be dead before he could ever raise his weapon, and that realization shot fear into his heart.

Five turned to look at him without moving the rest of her body. She smiled. “It’s so good to see you, Six.”

Six nodded, but didn’t move to take another step. “Good to see you too. Both of you.”

Behind him, Six heard Evie forcing everyone else around the corner, out of Three’s sight. It seemed to help, the Beta noted, watching the minimal relaxation of the Alpha’s tense posture and breathing, though his eyes remained fixed on him and the woman Alpha.

“The rest of your crew is on its way here,” Evie’s voice, just moments ago laced with the power of an Alpha rivalling Marica and Two, was now soft and almost void of dominance. Six marveled at her ability to tuck away her power so well. “They should be here in a few minutes.”

Five smiled weakly at them before looking up at Three; the Alpha’s eyes had closed again, and his jaw was clenched tightly. He lowered his head until his forehead touched Five’s, a hand cupping her head, fingers threaded through her teal hair, the opposite arm draped carefully over the Omega’s chest.

Six watched the oddly intimate yet sexless scene in confusion; Three had never been one to enjoy touching, unless it was sex or fighting. To see him in this position with Five of all people…

Evie turned her back on the scene. “They don’t know One is alive.” she murmured softly to him. “His death was what triggered Three to go Feral; they’re in mourning. Don’t!” she hurriedly added when he opened his mouth. “I doubt they’ll believe you, given the state they’re in. It might make him attack you.”

“O…k…,” he replied, keeping his voice just as quiet. “I guess that makes sense. But the rest of it… Three was never really close or even really gave a shit about One or Five. Seeing him like this now… it’s so weird, not to mention out of character for him.”

“Ferals occasionally have been known to form packs, but their hierarchy is one of power, blood and sex.” Evie told him, her brow furrowed. “I wonder if perhaps our atmosphere, along with any hidden feelings Three had prior to his becoming Feral, have instead of bringing out instincts of merely animalistic rage have also brought out instincts of a Guardvuk Alpha, just like your Two. I’ve never seen or heard of one of them going Feral. And this combination? If he can gain enough control of himself to prove he’s safe in society, barring someone he considers under his protection is threatened, he might be able to manage.”

“Have two Guardvuk Alphas ever been known to share a pack?” Six asked.

She shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

“Could it happen?”

“Under normal circumstances? Highly doubtful.” She told him. Then she smiled. “Then again, all of you have been far from normal, so who knows.”

“You said if he could prove he’s safe in society. What did you mean?” asked Six.

Evie raised an eyebrow. “Did you really think we let Feral Alphas walk around unchecked? If, IF they are able to keep that side of themselves in check, be on high doses of suppressants, and do regular check ins with medical and psychological facilities, and pass multiple tests in both of those fields, then _maybe_  they’re allowed back out.”

“I take it that it’s rare for – ” Six’s question was interrupted by arguing voices around the corner, heralding the arrival of the other search team. Two and Four appeared around the corner, followed shortly by One, whom the Alphas seemed to have tried to stop.

Two’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of the mangled bodies briefly before alighting on Three and Five and the shock turned into relief.

Four’s gaze glossed over the carnage, seeming either unsurprised or unaffected by the mess. His jaw tightened at the sight of Three holding Five; even Six could see – and not to mention smell – the possessiveness and anger before the Alpha managed to get himself under control.

One only had eyes for Three and Five.

Evie grabbed Two’s arm when she went to pass the other woman and reach her crewmembers. “I know you want to check on them, but Three’s hold on himself is tentative at best, and any Alpha, even someone he knows approaching right now might very well set him off again.”

Two’s jaw clenched but she stopped trying to pull herself from the other woman’s grip. “Are either of them injured?”

“It doesn’t appear that Three is injured. But your Omega is another story. I do not know what Lucas did to her back in the cell when he made her pass out; there is also a bandage on her arm.”

While Evie and Two were talking, Four and One shared a look. One glanced down the hall to Three and Five and back to Four, raising his eyebrows. The Alpha nodded, stepping forwards as if to listen to the conversation; his movement blocked One from their view as he slowly made his way down the hall.

One stepped carefully over shattered glass, probably Three’s way of hearing someone coming before the normal lights came back online. He tried to ignore the sticky feeling of drying blood on the soles of his shoes and the smell of death. He stopped a couple of meters from the two, not wanting to crowd them or make them – especially Three – feel trapped.

“Three? Five?”

Three’s head snapped up, eyes wide and mouth falling open in shock; Five turned her head to look up.

Before Three could say anything, One said hurriedly. “It’s me, I promise. It was a clone Lucas killed back in that cell, not me. The scientists wouldn’t let him kill an Inquara, so they made a clone after the separated me and Five when you escaped, and Lucas demanded a way to punish and torture you.”

One could see the glimmer of hope in Five’s eyes and the disbelief in Three’s. After a moment the Alpha said roughly, “How can I believe you? How can I believe any of you are real?” he nodded his head down the hall towards the rest of the crew.

“Three?”

Marica had come around the corner, her Alpha power tucked away just as Evie had done. While she was looking in their direction, she did not make eye contact with any of them. She continued, “We ran into a clone of Lucas soon after we first arrived here. I destroyed it, and while doing so realized something, and I just had a technician confirm it. Because these clones are conscious while the real person is also conscious, unlike when someone uses Transfer Transit, the clone for some reason we don’t understand yet has no heartbeat. Have you encountered a clone while you’ve been here?”

Three growled. “Yes, but through a door and communication screen between us; he – it, was too fearful that I would tear it to bits.”

Marica smiled humorlessly. “Sounds like Lucas. Even as a clone he hides behind anything he can. Please believe me when I tell you, that is One.”

One took another step forwards. “Three, I promise, it’s me.”

“Go to him,” Five urged softly, pushing at the hand the Alpha still had resting on her stomach.

The Alpha glanced down at her, the hand on her head sliding down to cup her cheek, his thumb rubbing a soft line on her cheekbone. “Will you be ok?”

“I’m ok, Three. It’s not like I can go anywhere.” She gave him another push. “Go.”

Everyone within hearing distance frowned at her words. Six began to feel dread coiling in his stomach, remembering the video they had seen of Lucas doing something to her… to her back.

Movement made him look up. Three was getting to his feet, and the Beta felt himself tense in spite of himself; the Alpha’s eyes were no longer glowing with their animalistic rage of a cornered, rabid animal. His limbs were no longer held stiffly, and his movements were human, but he had seen what his shipmate could do, and it was hard to forget that fact.

Three carefully stepped around – not over – the prone Five, who followed his movements, a small smile on her lips as she watched him approach One. The Inquara made no move to towards the approaching Alpha, his posture relaxed and unafraid despite the splash of blood on the wall next to him, the body of its origin behind him, its throat torn out. He boldly met Three’s gaze as the Alpha halted at arms-length from him as Three stared into his eyes, searching for something.

Without warning, Three launched himself at One.

OoOoO

Should I stop there? No? You sure? Ok… I’ll be nice this time…

OoOoO

Without warning, Three launched himself at One; the Inquara suddenly found himself the recipient of the tightest hug he could remember having. He wrapped his arms around Three as he felt the rough scrape of Three’s unshaved face against his skin as the Alpha pressed his face into his neck, inhaling.

“It’s you,” Three whispered, his voice cracking. “you’re alive. I… we thought you were dead. I _saw_  you die!”

“I know,” One murmured, one hand rubbing soothing circles on the Alpha’s back. “I saw the video clip of whatever they did to Five, and then to my clone. I also saw what happened to you.” He could feel Three stiffen in his arms. “I don’t blame you for losing it then, or any of the times since. You thought I was dead, and after you were protecting Five.”

Three pulled back enough he could look into One’s eyes again. “Are you sure? I’m coated again in blood of the dead, I can still feel their flesh beneath my hands, hear their screams…” he closed his eyes briefly. “And I… I _enjoyed_  it, One. I enjoyed tearing them to pieces.”

One cocked his head. “Did they just show up and attack you, or did they say something, or?”

“They were just going to use the bathroom in the med bay, until they smelled Five.” Three’s hands, one on One’s shoulder, the other on his waist, clenched reflectively. “Then they were going to… hurt her.”

“There you have it.” One said with a small smile. “You were protecting her.” He looked over Three’s shoulder at Five. “Why hasn’t she gotten up?”

Three turned around, heading back towards Five, tugging One with him. “Whatever Lucas did to her, she’s paralyzed from her waist down.”

One stopped dead in his tracks, staring from Three to Five in horror. “What?!”

“What is it?” Two called from the far end of the hallway.

One motioned for her and everyone else to wait as he and Three crouched next to Five, who smiled thinly up at the two of them, eyes flicking down to the grasp Three had on One’s hand, her eyes dancing despite the pain clouding them.

“Can you really not move your legs?” One asked in a whisper.

She shook her head. “No. Can’t feel anything either, though where he hit me with that… whatever it was, hurts like hell.”

Three moved to wipe the thin sheen of sweat on her forehead with his sleeve but stopped; the majority of it was red with drying blood. One did the job, noting how pale she looked. He glanced up at Three. “Are you ok if we call the others over? We need to get her help.”

It took a moment, but Three nodded.

“I’ll go tell the others.” One said as he got to his feet. “Be prepared for Two and probably Four to come rushing over. I’ll ask Marica and Evie to keep their distance for now.”

One’s prediction was very accurate. Two’s loud exclamation and following language almost made Three feel sorry for the cruel missing Beta; but looking down at Five, her lip clenched between her teeth squashed any pity he had for Lucas, or anyone associated with what had happened here, should Two – or himself, or the rest of their group – get ahold of them before the law did.

One, Two and Six were exchanging anger when movement made Three look away from Five to see Four kneel down across from him on the Omega’s other side.

“Thank you for keeping her alive and safe.” Four said after a moment, meeting Three’s challenging gaze with a calm one of his own. Three waited for another comment but it didn’t come. Instead the sword-wielding Alpha smiled down at Five when she opened her eyes. “Hey, little warrior. Glad to see you’re still with us.”

When Four touched Five’s cheek, Three waited for the violent rage of the animal, of the beast inside of him, to try and claw to the surface and take over.

It never came.

After a moment, he realized why. Four was not only not a threat to his or Five’s safety, he was one of them, their pack – no, crew. Four would also protect Five. Not only that, but in a fight, he knew the other male Alpha would have his back, as he would have his. He ignored the fact that his… beast… continued to think of their crew as a pack.

As One, Two and Six joined them, the beast inside of him settled down to rest. No one, not even the two Alphas at the far end of the hall were a threat. And the people around him? They were _his_. Yes, he grumpily conceded, Two was more dominant than he was, and Four was his equal, but even so, they were all his, and he would protect them, watch over them, and woe to those who tried to bring them harm.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: brief references to non-con aftermath and language

One stayed by Three’s side as their jumbled mixture of City Guards, Raza crew and Alphonse, as well as his older – and shorter – Alpha brother, Edward, checking in on them before leaving to meet the medical team on the surface to lead them down to their location.

One had to tug Three away from Five when the Alpha kept growling at the strange Beta

“I don’t need a minder,” Three muttered, giving One a halfhearted shove when the Inquara leaned against both the wall and the Alpha’s shoulder as they watched Dean examining Five.

One stayed where he was. “Well it makes me feel better. So deal with it.”

Three snorted, but let it go; he wouldn’t admit it aloud, but One’s presence and physical contact were helping. The Beast, though awake and watchful, aware that the strange Alphas were only there to bring assistance to them and to the injured Five was still unhappy with a stranger being that close to her. It was probably only due to the fact Four was right there by her side, ready to start a fight should any of the strangers take a wrong step which allowed the Beast to remain calmly next to the Inquara.

The Beta, whom One had introduced as Alphonse was on his comm device with someone, relaying the Omega’s condition with a clinical coldness that made Three grind his teeth. The Beta abruptly stopped talking and got to his feet, turning to look back down the hallway that, despite being cleared of the bodies was still painted with blood and broken glass. Edward motioned down the hall towards them as a strange male Alpha walked around the corner, followed by a female redheaded Omega.

Two and Six stepped in their way until Marica hurried over and appeared to be introducing them. After a moment Two and Six moved out of their way. Marica followed the new duo and introduced them again to Four, who relaxed marginally but didn’t move from Five’s side.

“The Alpha looks vaguely like Jared.” One murmured. “Maybe he’s  _that_ Dean. Didn’t Marica say he was a doctor who ran an Omega Clinic?”

Three grunted, but didn’t answer, eyes still watching the newcomer.

Six joined them, confirming the identity of the new Alpha, though that did little to calm Three, who continued to glare down the hall at Dean.

Dean, though he could feel the raging glare of the Feral Alpha, he chose to ignore it as he continued his gentle examination of the wounded Omega. “I’ll have Alphonse look into their medical records here to see what heat inducer they gave you, so I can tell if there will be any longer-lasting effects we need to be aware of,” he told Five and Four. “Now, I need to roll you onto your side so we can take a quick look at your back and slide a backboard under you to get you out without any further damage to your back.”

“Three did what he had to… to keep me safe,” Five informed him wearily, her eyes fluttering as she tried to stay awake.

Dean nodded. “I’m sure he did. I just don’t want us to do anything more.” He dug a pre-filled syringe out of his bag. “I’m going to give you a sedative to – ”

The scent of Five’s fear hit Three moments after it hit Four, who had Dean pinned to the wall in an instant; One and Six grabbed Three before he could join in.

Dean locked eyes with Four. “I am not going to bring any harm to your Omega. After her time spent here in this hell of a laboratory I understand her fear of needles and syringes. But I think it would be better for her to be sedated and out of pain when we move her onto the backboard and carry her out of here.” He glanced over at Three, One, and Six. “All of you are welcome to come with her, as long as you can control yourselves. I will not allow you to scare or harm my staff. If you cannot control yourselves, you will not be joining us.”

Four held him a moment longer against the wall before roughly releasing him. Three continued to hold the other Alpha’s gaze, who seemed unimpressed with the glaring Feral Alpha. The Beast relaxed, scenting the truth in the other Alpha’s words. The human part of Three, however, still wasn’t happy about Five being scared by yet another Alpha, but he managed a nod to Six and One. The Beta released him; the Inquara, however, kept ahold of his right arm.

The redheaded Omega was gently brushing Five’s hair, calming her as Dean tied a strip of rubber on her upper arm before sliding the needle into the vein in the still bruised crook of her elbow and injecting the sedative.

It kicked in within moments.

Once he was sure she was out, Dean instructed Four to help him roll Five onto her side. While he rolled her dirty shirts up to look at her back, his assistant slid the backboard into place. They all could see the worry on Dean’s face as he carefully prodded the large bruise on Five’s lower back. Finally he tugged her shirts back into place and together he and Four lowered her onto the backboard.

“What do you think is wrong?” asked Two, joining them as Dean started to tighten the board's straps over Five's body.

“I have a bad feeling that whatever they used, it at least partially severed her spinal cord within her backbone; the bones themselves are intact from what I can feel. Some radiographs will confirm.”

“Is that kind of injury something you can fix?” Two demanded. “Will she be able to ever walk again?”

Dean shook his head. “I can’t say right now. After I get a better idea of what happened, and how it looks in there I’ll have a better answer for you. I wish I could now, but I can’t.”

Two stared down at Five’s sleeping form, tears in her eyes before she turned and stalked off, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Four looked quietly down at Five, eyes and face a cold mask.

One and Six both looked enraged.

Three was more than ready to commit murder.

OoOoO

The Raza crew plus Jared were seated in the small sitting room of Dean’s Omega Clinic, which was better equipped, according to Jared, that the Omega sections in most hospitals, and was where the a lot of Omegas came, or were brought; at least by the good Alphas. There was also, apparently, Omega safe rooms, where an Omega could safely go through their heat, as well as a large foundation which would pay for medical expenses for Omegas who couldn’t afford it, funded completely by anonymous donaters as well as fundraisers held all over the city. That, Jared told them, would pay for whatever Five needed, including surgery by a specialist.

After about an hour the redheaded Omega came out, bearing bottled water, fruit, and chips for everyone.

“Sorry we don’t have any food ready yet,” she told them as she handed out the bottles, “It’s four in the morning, as I’m sure you’re all aware. Normally I’d whip something up, but I’ve been helping Dean with the radiographs and ultrasound; he’s doing an MRI right now.”

“If they want something, I know where the kitchen is, Charlie.” Jared told her with a smile.

“ _You_ are supposed to be at home, resting, young man!” she informed him, hands on her hips.

Jared threw his arms wide, to draw attention to the fact that he was, in fact, seated and resting.

Charlie shook her head at him, before turning to the Raza crew. “Your Five is still unconscious. We’re still waiting on Alphonse to send us the records they were keeping on her. In the meantime, we have set up an IV with fluids because she’s dehydrated.” She eyed One and Three speculatively.

One held up his partially gone water bottle, nudging Three to start drinking. “We’re working on it, don’t worry. I’ll make sure he keeps drinking water and not something stronger, I promise.”

Charlie gave One a thumbs up and a grin before vanishing into the back again.

Three growled at One when the Inquara moved to nudge him again. “Yeah, yeah, I’m drinking, I’m drinking. Cool your thermals.”

Six hid a smile and took a sip of his own bottle, amused at the interaction between One and Three. Something during their time as captives in the past few days had altered their relationship with each other, that much was obvious. He wasn’t sure how yet, but appeared to be improving. A glance at Two proved his point, as she was watching the two’s exchanges as well, a small smile on her lips. She caught Six looking at her, and glanced towards the other two men and raised an eyebrow. He smirked back at her and nodded.

OoOoO

The sun was almost completely clear of the horizon when Dean came out to them, bearing a handheld. He took a seat across from them on a folding chair with a heavy sigh. “Well, I was correct when I said her vertebrae were all intact. She does have a fractured cheekbone, and a broken rib, however. But those will heal over the next few weeks.”

“If the bones in her back are not broken, then why can’t she move her legs?” asked Four.

“The tool Lucas used on her somehow mostly severed her spinal cord, so her brain is unable to send or receive signals to anything below her waist.” He paused, letting his words sink in for a moment, before continuing, “However, I have a... friend who might be able to surgically repair the severed spinal column by connecting the severed ends to each other with surgical, synthetic connectors.” He brought up an image on the handheld and pointed to a black spot on the screen surrounded by gray and white. “There should be gray here, where the spinal cord runs through the vertebrae. But as you can see, there’s nothing there. If we can fix it within the next 20 hours, we should be able to mostly repair it.”

“Might? Mostly? How likely is it that she’ll be able to ever walk again?” One asked worriedly.

“I’ll need Doctor to come and take a look at all of the images I’ve taken; he’ll be here in three hours.”

“Doctor who?” Jared asked with a yawn.

“Just Doctor,” Dean said with a grimace. “No one knows his real name, everyone just calls him Doctor. He’s a tad… different, but he’s the best at what he does, which is just about everything.”

Jared nodded wordlessly, apparently now recognizing the doctor his brother was referring to.

Two also nodded. “Good. We’ll find a way to pay for his, and your, services, we don’t care what it costs. Do whatever you must to help her be able to walk again.” She glanced at the others, waiting for any of them – aka Three – to voice concerns on costs, especially for the stowaway thief hacker girl. But none came. If anything, Three looked offended that she was even looking at him, waiting for him to protest. Mentally Two kicked herself; she had seen what Three had done to protect Five down in the laboratory; she shouldn’t be surprised that he no longer cared about costs anymore when it came down to helping Five.

“Don’t worry about costs; an anonymous donor has already come forward to pay for everything, including the Doctor’s services.” Dean told them firmly, holding Two’s gaze when she opened her mouth to argue. “From what Jared told me, you’ll have your hands full getting your ship repaired. You don’t need to worry about this.”

When it looked like Two was going to argue anyway, Three leaned over and smacked her shoulder. “Just accept the help and say thank you, boss lady.”

Two glared at him; Thee just smiled and took a large drink of water, only to choke on it, forcing One to pound on his back until he could breathe again. The Alpha chose to ignore the fact that One did all of this while sniggering.

Dean shook his head at the lot of them. “If you will all follow me, I believe Charlie has cooked something up for you in the kitchen; I know you two,” he pointed at One and Three “have had little to nothing to eat since you were captured. You will eat something, doctor’s orders. THEN you can go and see Five before Doctor gets here.”

Charlie had cooked for them; real eggs, scrambled with cheese, and sides of bacon and sausage as well as fresh fruit. There was also coffee, for which they were all grateful for.

All except Jared, who looked at the dark, caffeinated drink mournfully. Charlie noticed, and smacked his shoulder. “No coffee for you! You have pups on the way, we don’t need them popping out addicted to that stuff right off of the bat!”

Dean snorted into his own mug of the stuff; Jared glared at his brother but wordlessly accepted a glass of boring apple juice instead from the cheerful redhead.

“Pups? As in plural?” One asked, curious.

Jared nodded, a smile on his lips as he looked down at his swollen stomach. “Twins. Boy and a girl.”

Three watched One and Jared continue talking about children/pups. Suddenly he was picturing _One_ with the swollen stomach, full of _his_  pups. Inside, the Beast growled contently at the thought.

Wait. WHAT THE _FUCK_?! Three shouted at it. The Beast merely squinted its eyes at him and settled down contentedly.

Three shook his head, poking at his eggs. Feeling eyes on him he looked around to find Charlie watching him, a small smile on her lips and in her eyes before she lowered her gaze to her own plate.

Wonderful. Apparently he was becoming transparent.

 _Fuck_.

OoOoO

The Doctor was on odd man with floppy brown hair, a strange accent and odd clothing tastes – I mean, really, who in this day and age wears a _bowtie_?! – and his personality, despite being an Alpha, far stronger than Two, Marica or Dean, was one that seemed to bounce all over the place. But once he started going over the images with the Raza crew, he became all business.

“Yes, yes I can see it here, and here,” he pointed to two unassuming spots on one of the images, “Looks like they used some sort of penetrating ultrasonic device, made to target nerves instead of bones, like most sonic devices soldiers use for torture and coercion, which break or crack bone. Should be illegal, those blasted things. No. No, no, I can see this should be rather difficult to do, but with her young age and apparent good health other than moderate malnutrition. I do not, however, like what else I’ve been reading.” He spun around suddenly to face them. “You’d better keep a closer eye on her, and your Inquara. Keep them close, there are too many cruel people in this city, as I’m sure you’re already aware. But I do not wish to have to be called out for one of you again.”

It took them all a moment to realize Doctor had stopped rambling and was waiting for one of them to say something.

“What is the likelihood she will walk again?” Two asked.

“Pretty good chance. Like I said, she’s young and for the most part healthy. I won’t be able to do the procedure until tomorrow, however. The heat inducer is still lingering in her system, and is part of the reason why she’s in pain, given her reaction to it. I want it completely cleared out of her system before I put her under complete anesthetic.”

“Won’t waiting until tomorrow be too late? Dean thought that –” Six started to ask, but was interrupted by Doctor.

“Nope. I have a better idea about what I am looking at than he does. Not that he’s a bad doctor, he's a wonderful doctor. It’s just I have more experience with this kind of trauma than he does. It will not hurt her to wait until tomorrow.”

“Can we see her?” Four asked.

Doctor eyed each of them speculatively. Finally he pointed at Four. “Just you.”

When the others started to protest, Doctor said, “I know what I am doing, and am far older and more knowledgeable than you are.”

With that said he got up, motioning for Four to follow him.

After they left, Charlie came in. “I have a couple rooms ready for you. Some of you will have to double up,” she added apologetically.

In the end, Two and Six got their own rooms, and Three picked up the sleeping One, ignoring the looks shared between Two, Six, and Charlie.

Theirs was a double-wide bed, made for mates to be together after a procedure. It was a nice thought, Three considered, allowing a mated pair to share the same bed. Goodness knows how touchy-feely being on this planet made a lot of them, and physical contact, sexual or not seemed just part of the deal.

Carefully and without waking the Inquara, Three settled him on the far side of the bed before claiming the side of the bed closer to the door for himself. He also made sure his weapons were within easy reach, as well as the comm Two had given him – given, they were literally a few doors down but still, he wasn’t going to take any chances.

He also made sure to get a good grip on his fair share of the sheets; he was willing to bet One was a blanket thief.

Turns out, he was right. And he was a cuddler.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're enjoying the growing One/Three!  
> As for the specialty Doctor... tee hee!! I had to!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> super short, but the next will be longer. I just wanted to post something since it's been weeks since the last.
> 
> Trigger Warning: minor self-worth issues.

One woke up in Three's arms.

His first reaction was to think,  _what the flying fuck?!_  He almost jumped out of the bed, but the other man's arms tightened around him when he went to move, and a face covered in a coarse covering of hair pressed itself against his neck. Hot breath tickled his skin as the Alpha let out a contented sigh.

And so, One stayed where he was, for Three.

Or so he told himself. The fact he felt safe, completely, and utterly  _safe_ , and happy, and at home in the arms of another man - let alone, gods forbid, the arms of  _Three_ of all people - for the first time in he couldn't remember when was moot point. Given, he didn't remember ever being with a man, but while on stations, planets and the like it wasn't just occasional attractive woman who caught his eye, but also the occasional man. So it was quite possible he had on occasion been with a man, but given his 'true self's' rather public self, he probably wouldn't have been allowed to have a male partner. Homosexuality, though widely accepted throughout the galaxy, as a CEO of his own company, he would have certain public expectations to live up to: a gorgeous wife on his arm, children and heirs...

... but all that didn't matter anymore. His wife was dead. To all of his knowledge from his research, there were no children. Just a Board of Directors who were more than likely enjoying having the run of the company, and wouldn't have been happy to have their power yanked away from them.

Screw them. They could keep it. He didn't want it. While he didn't belong among the hardened criminals that made up the rest of the Raza - he suspected even sweet, innocent little Five had a darker part than he did - they... they were family. A very, very messed up family, they argued and butted heads, both he and Three had slept with Two, Two wasn't even human... the list went on and on. But when it really mattered, they stuck together. He wasn't ever going back to his old life, whether or not they all stayed together after they managed to leave this planet. Or even if they didn't. Maybe they'd stay here for awhile; the GA and corperations couldn't - aka wouldn't - come here. Given, the planet itself had its own downsides - the bruises on his and Three's wrists and elsewhere on their bodies, not to mention poor Five - were hard, solid proof of that. But they were learning. They could keep themselves and each other safe.

"You're thinkin' too hard this early in the mornin'," The murmured groggily into One's ear. "what's on your mind?"

The fact Three wasn't freaking out about having One in his bed, not to mention his arms, only made the situation weirder - One was purposefully ingnoring the mental reminder of how Three had all but dragged One into share a room with him, stating he already had to deal with the kid being out of his sight, he wasn't about to let his Inquara less than three feet away from him. Three's thumb was running soothing lines bare shoulder, tucking himself against One's back. One tried not to notice how well he fitted against Three's chest.

"Just.... thinking." One said finally.

Three chuckled. "I figured that much out for myself.  _What_ were you thinking about?"

One sighed heavily. "Is it bad..." he trailed off for a moment. "is it bad that, despite the hell you, I and Five went through in the past few days, I feel... more me here than I can ever remember?"

"You do realize your memory isn't all that long, right?" Three pointed out, humor lancing his voice.

"I, I  _know_ that!" One retorted. "But I still have my instincts, and what I've read."

"What does that include, besides casting me in a very unflattering light?"

"You know what? Forget it." One attempted to lever himself out of Three's grasp and out of the bed.

Three, however, was having none of that. He pulled One back onto the bed, flat on his back beneath him. The Alpha stared down into the Inquara's eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "You've probably noticed, my defence and fall-back plan is humor, whether the others in the room get it or not."

One stared up at Three, their gazes locked for a few heartbeats before he closed his eyes. "As messed up as our stay here has been so far, and as weird as this planet is, it's... I don't know how to put it into words."

"You feel as though you can be you here," Three said slowly, "I saw you check out Dean, and the occasional other... fit young men who cross your path. " He grabbed One's shoulders and pinned him to the bed when the Inquara stiffened, eyes flying wide open. "I don't care, One. I don't care. As long as both parties are willing, or multiple parties, if that's what you're into - " he stopped to chuckle at the look on One's face " - or not."

Three straddled One's hips. "I know how you feel, in a way. But mine..." his hands tightened on One's shoulders, eyes leaving the Inquara's face. "Mine is the monster finally being free. The bloody beast who enjoys the hunt, and the kill..."

"Hey, hey," One placed a hand on Three's arm. " _We're_ alive, _Five_ is alive, because of _you_."

"I'm a _monster!_ "

The snarl left Three's throat before he could stop it, gaze snapping back to One's own. He continued, "Before, I could control it, unleash it when I needed or wanted to. But now... I can feel it inside of me, and it comes out whenever it wants to, and kills whomever it wants to." Even as he spoke, he could feel the Beast inside of him now, but it was content;  One was with him - beneath him, it noticed happily - and the rest of the pack - _crew_ , _damnit!_ \- was safe, and his Omega would soon be undergoing surgery to hopefully heal her. He looked away again. "I'm afraid of hurting you, or Five, or Two, Four, Six...I can't... I couldn't bear that."

As if reading his mind, One said, "It's not always a monster. It's protective. How else do you explain your bandaging of Five's wounds, getting her to safety, wanting vengance on my apparent death." He slid his hand from above Three's elbow and up to his cheek; it was way, way too intimate, and yet it didn't feel wrong. "Look at me," he said softly. Eventually, Three did. "You won't hurt me. And as long as one of the others doesn't turn on the crew, I don't see you turning on the rest of them, either."

To his utter shame, Three feared he could feel a tear boardering on the edge of his eye. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I trust you." One pulled Three down until their faces were inches apart. "I trust you, Three."

Three was speechless. Before he knew what he was doing, as if the Beast took over, he pressed his lips against the Inquara below him, who responded eagerly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three's issues with the Beast are far from over.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: detailed One/Three smut ahead!! starts after Two leaves after her conversation with Three.

Three woke up to someone pounding on the door to his – their – room. He tried to ignore it, but whomever it was, was very insistent.

“ ‘m comin’, ‘m comin,’…” he muttered as he got up and pulled on his shorts, leaving a sleeping One in the bed. Had that really happened?

Stupid question, he brain told him. Of course it happened. And it had been amazing. His Beast rumbled in satisfaction at the afterglow of the previous night, of being tangled with One, of the Inquara's taste, the feel of his skin, of the sensations of being inside of the younger man, and wondered why silly, human Three hadn’t done all of that a long time ago. Three ignored it - tried to, anyway - choosing instead to stomp over to the door.

Two turned out to be the sleep disrupter. Three opened his mouth to quip at her, but the look on her face, as well as her rumbled appearance, made his jaw snap shut. “Five?” he asked hoarsely, fear creeping over his skin.

Two shook her head. “It was worse than their imaging equipment showed. The Doctor gave her a 30/70 chance at ever being fully mobile again,” she told him, eyes flicking from him, to behind him where One was stirring, the sheet pooling around his waist.

When she – surprisingly – didn’t comment, Three said, “We’ll meet up with you guys in ten. Where are you?”

Two gave him directions to the large, private waiting room in the Omega ICU before leaving, with one last smirk and glance at One.

Three shut and locked the door, leaning against it as he ran a hand over his unshaven face, noticing faintly that he was in desperate need of a shower, and something resembling a shave.

He had hoped for better odds for Five. Given, they had no idea exactly what type of device Lucas had used on her, not to mention the multiple times he himself had been forced to move her with a back injury; but never being able to walk again was better than being savaged by those… animals. Three’s own Beast growled in agreement.

One had somehow managed to sleep through everything; so Three grabbed the edge of the blankets, and yanked them down to the foot of the bed. Air cooler than the comfort of the blankets hit One’s bare body, which brought him around rather quickly.

“Hey! What the hell?!”

“Time to wake up, sleepyhead.” Three said, enjoying the view of the nude Inquara. “Can’t lounge around in bed all day, no matter how enjoyable that might be.”

One, finally realizing he was stark naked, went bright red before grabbing one of Three’s pillows to cover his privates.

“Oh, stop it,” Three groaned as he yanked his pants on; he had been enjoying the view. “Not like it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. After last night, I’ve probably seen everything.”

“I – we – we did – we had – ” One stuttered, “We…we had _sex?!_ ”

“Um, yeah,” Three retorted. “Not like you were complaining at the time. Especially when – ”

One interrupted the Alpha before he could go any further; he remembered _everything_  from last night in (wonderful, amazing, _sexy_ ) detail. “Alright, alright! I remember. No need to – ”

“Gloat?” Three smirked. “Revel in the reliving all of the amazing, steamy details?”

This statement just made One all the more flustered, who continued to stutter, blushing as he clothed himself, much to Three’s amusement, including putting his shirt on backwards. The Alpha was tempted to not point the mistake out, but he had to be nice occasionally, right? Gotta be unpredictable to be… well, unpredictable. When One ripped the shirt off to turn it around, Three took advantage, shoving the Inquara against the wall and pressing a kiss onto his lips.

One fought briefly before opening his mouth to admit Three's tongue, and arched his body into the Alpha, finding him already rock-hard.

"Fuck," Three groaned, pressing his face into One's neck when One slipped his hand between them to press against the other man's cock, the other sliding up his chest before his hands reached for Three's belt. Three removed One's hands before scooping him up and pressing him into the wall, the younger man wrapping his legs around Three's waist, moaning into his mouth at the friction of their cloth-covered cocks as Three rocked into him.

Deciding the bed was a better place, Three turned around and lay One down, laying on top of him as he moved his mouth and lips down the other man's jaw and neck, free hand finding One's nipples and teasing them, matching the flicking of his fingers to those of his tongue on the other nipple.

Beneath him, One let out a garbled curse as he arched into Three again, hands clenching the sheets underneath them; the Alpha grinned, both him and the Beast enjoying the keeping of their mate underneath them as Three press kisses and nips down One's side, his hands pulling down his boxers and freeing the Inquara's erect member, it's head already weeping.

Tasting One was... heavenly. Three slid his tongue around One's cock, lapping up the precum, making One keen, thrusting his hips upwards.

"P-please..." One was panting now. "Th-Three, please..."

Three was only too happy to oblige, sucking One's cock into his mouth, lips tight and tongue sliding and dancing over the sensitive underside as he bobbed his head. Three's own cock was painfully hard, trapped behind his jeans, and the noises One was making... gods, who knew being with a guy and sucking him off would be such a huge turn-on?

Moments later, One's legs tighten on either side of Three's head and he cried out, cum shooting down the back of Three's throat. Three kept bobbing his head and sucking, squeezing everything he could out of One. When One's body finally went limp, Three kissed his way up the inquara's chest, smirking as he planted a deep kiss on the other man's mouth, who opened up willingly for him.

"You're beautiful when you're sex-flushed," he murmured huskily, nipping on One's neck.

One's only reply was to kiss him, open mouth inviting Three's tongue as he roll towards him, forcing Three to move with him until One was on top. Breaking the kiss, One's fingers found the buckle of Three's belt. He pulled them off, pulling Three into a seated position on the edge of the bed, his own leaking cock finally freed when One pulled his pants down around his ankles before just about swallowing him.

Three grunted, leaning back as One slowly slid Three's cock in and out of his mouth, every couple of strokes sliding it almost all of the way out so he could tongue the weeping slit and bundle of nerves under the base of the head that Three had never thought could be more sensitive. He threaded his fingers through One's hair as the Inquara slowly sped up his movements. Unable to stand it, Three's hips jerked, wanting  _more.i_

Right before he was about to cum, Three pulled One up, moving him until he was straddling his legs and slamming their lips together in a messy clash of saliva and precum. When they finally parted, One asked the question before Three could give voice to it.

"Fuck me again?"

With a wild grin, Three reached behind him for the lube bottle he had felt earlier, left among the sheets from the night before. Squeezing some of the fluid onto his fingers, he reached between One's spread legs, past his hardening cock and slid a finger, and then two, into One's opening, finding him surprisingly still moderately stretched from the night before.

One moaned when Three added a third and forth finger, hips twisting and rocking as he attempted to ride the man's fingers. For a few moments, the Alpha allowed this, enjoying the look on the Inquara's face before sliding his fingers from One's opening and lined his slicked cock up with it, guiding One down. Three groaned as he bottomed out inside of One, and slowly started to roll his hips, matching One's movements as their tongues battled. Three reached between them with his free hand slick with lube and starting jerking One's erect again cock off, the movements of his wrist matching the rest of their dance.

It didn't take very long, but soon Three was so close, especially when he was repeatedly striking One's prostate, making the other man cry out, the noises of the other man turning him on even further, especially when he started flicking his tongue on one of One's nipples One's cock was leaking all over Three's hand right as he came, squirting cum all over both of their chests. Three kept thrusting One over the edge before following him into bliss, letting out a loud groan as he emptied himself inside of One.

OoOoO

After they both showered, the duo found the waiting room easily enough, though none of the Raza crew were currently there. They arrived just in time meet Benny, who was helping Charlie set up a collapsible table; a cart of breakfast options just outside of the door. Benny turned to face Three as soon as he and One turned the corner, pulling himself up to his full height and placing himself between his Omega sister and Three.

“So you’re the Feral Alpha my friend is allowing to run loose in his Omega hospital.” He drawled, voice accented. “Interesting.”

“Yup, that’s me.” Three replied flippantly. “Crazy, scary Feral, who was with your sister last night too, without your protection and she’s just fine; not a hair out of place.”

Benny wasn’t impressed. “Just see that she remains so, along with all of the other damaged Omegas here.”

Charlie smacked him. “Oi, tall and gorgeous brother of mine, I’m not damaged. Say I am again and you’ll regret it! I’ll damage _you_  next time we spar!”

One stepped around Three, who had unconsciously mimicked Benny’s shielding posture. He smiled at Charlie. “Ignore Three,” he told Benny. “he’s always grouchier in the mornings.”

Charlie returned his grin and handed him a chilled bottle of juice; the Alphas were still having a staring contest. “Grouchier? So he’s always grouchy?”

One nodded. “Grouchy, prickly, snarky, bossy…and any other synonyms I’m not awake enough to list.”

“Oi, I’m not bossy! Just right. Not my fault if it comes across that way.”

“Uh huh, you just keep telling yourself that.” Two said, grinning as she joined them. Her smile fooled no one. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes had bags underneath them.

“How’s Five?” One asked immediately. “Three said it was worse than they thought.”

Two nodded, hands flipping the unopened bottle of water end over end in her hands. “The Doctor is hoping for the best. Whatever device Lucas used, it didn’t just sever the nerves, it obliterated sections of them. So instead of using what he called ‘small connecters’ to bridge the narrow gap between the ends, he had to use synthetic nerves in the missing spaces as well as the connecters.” She sighed. “He said he’s had some success with the procedure, such as fingers, a couple of hands and one arm. But the entire spinal nervous system?”

“The fact he’s had that much success gives some hope, at least,” Six said as he slumped in a chair, looking almost as bad as Two, minus the bad hair day. “And if anyone can make it through all of that and walk again, it’s Five.” He took a deep breath an sighed; then his eyes widened. He looked between Three and One, mouth hanging open slightly before turning to look at Two, who smirked and shook her head. Seemingly with difficulty, the Beta bit his tongue.

Three had broken the staring contest to listen to the updated news on Five; Benny returned to help Charlie, who had merely waved him off. So instead he took a seat as far from the Raza crew as he could. “Sounds tough, your young, little Omega.”

“She is.” Three growled, not liking the implication at Five’s age. “Not to mention she has us.”

Benny wouldn’t meet Three’s angry gaze, but held up his hands. “I meant no threat to your Omega.” He murmured; he had tucked away his power just as Marica had done. “Merely commenting that, given her history and all of the trauma she has undergone since she got here, she must be tough to come through so much, so well.”

Three eyed the Alpha, not entirely buying his excuse, though his Beast did, settling down to watch and listen – and keep an eye on his One.

“Where’s Four?” One asked, finally realizing their party was short one sword-whelding, quiet Alpha.

“With Five.” Two replied. “He refused to leave her side. Said he wanted to be with her when she woke up.” And he doesn’t completely trust the people here, was the silent addition, though she didn’t say it; she didn’t have to. No matter how friendly and honest the people around them seemed, none of them were to be trusted, not after Lucas. Trust would be something hard earned, after that. Right now, all they could trust was each other.

OoOoO

Four, who had gotten some ‘rest’ while Five had been in surgery by meditating, watched the Omega sleep. Under the blankets, her entire chest was tightly bandaged to keep her from shifting until she was healed. The Doctor, creepily cheerful even after ten hours in surgery, didn’t want anything to be pinched or pulled apart, which at best would mean another lengthy, and more dangerous, surgery.

She had lost weight while she had been missing; all three of them had. But Five… she didn’t have the weight to lose. Thus the addition of electrolytes into her IV bag. He had watched as Dean added it, rattling off what it was along with a couple of other additions Four hadn’t really paid attention to; he had been to busy focusing on reading the other Alpha’s intentions. He had seemed sincere, like he really wanted to get Five better; maybe he did.

Heaven, Hell, and everything in between help him and his if he was lying.

About two hours after surgery, a nurse had come in and removed the tube from Five’s throat, leaving in its place a nasal canal running under her nose and hooked behind her ears. The monitor tabs on her chest, the clip on one lone finger, and inflatable cuff on her upper arm all remained in place, the monitors they were attached to beeping steadily, which, he knew, was a good thing.

After the sun broached the horizon, a knock on the door made him look away from Five, hand straying to his sword when the door opened a crack.

“It’s Two and Six. May we come in?”

Ok, not a threat.

Two had immediately moved to stand opposite Four, taking Five cold hand in her own, her other hand resting on the crown of the Omega’s head, murmuring low words of encouragement. Four ignored her, eyes meeting Six’s after the Beta had given Five a check.

The Beta shook his head. “No news on Lucas yet, other than all of the guards he had requested for the faux child Omega auction have also vanished. Marica suspects they’re working on finding a way out of the city. Some of the doctors and staff from the laboratory vanished through the tunnels under the city, which are being canvased still as we speak.”

Four nodded. “Good. Hopefully all of them can be brought to justice.”

The rest of his conversation with the Beta had been hard; an itch niggled at the back of his mind. Though easily named it wasn’t so easily dismissed. Having an Alpha so close, and touching, Five, was a hard one to push down, no matter he knew and trusted Two to not harm Five. He supposed it was because she was his equal in dominance, if not more powerful. He just hoped for the sake of himself, Five, and the rest of their group, they could all work this new-found aversion to authority out without too much bloodshed…

That had been a couple of hours ago, but hadn’t been the completeness of their visit.

What had brought him back to the present?

Four’s eyes snapped open, going immediately to Five. There, the sound of scratching.

Her hand was twitching.

The Alpha jumped to his feet, at her side in an instant, covering her hand with his. “Five?”

Her eyelids fluttered; her forehead wrinkled, as if she was having trouble lifting her heavy lids. A moment later, they opened, and everything dark in the room, real or imagined seemed to flee the room.

“Four?”

Four smiled. “Hey, little warrior. Good to see you back with us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me!!! o.o I can't believe it took me so long to get back to this, I'm so so sorry!! Also sorry the update is so short, but I wanted to get something up!!  
> It's more of a filler chapter than anything else; mostly just Two going over the past week. Next chapter will pick up the plot line and run with it.

It had been one hell of a week for all of them, Two reflected, glaring holes into the bland cream ceiling above her. She was in one of the smaller guest rooms on the second floor of Dean’s Omega Clinic. It was far more comfortable, if less personable than her bunk on the Raza, though the bed was amazing. The door out was to her left; to her right was a bank of three large windows overlooking the gardens and walking paths at the center of the clinic building. An attached full bathroom was opposite of the bed; her hair was still damp for the hour-long soak she had taken in the hot, oh, so blessedly hot, and non-recycled water.

Four was in with Five, unwilling to let her out of his sight two hallways away from her room; their comms were open and checked at regular intervals. They were not risking another repeat of the kidnapping of Five, One, and Three. Six joined in sleepily from his room across the hall from Two.

Three and One, though together, remained silent during the regular check-ins. Two wasn’t too worried; the handheld propped up against the bedside light showed them together in the same room at the other end of the hall. She wondered about their changed relationship, how they had gone from enemies, to frienemies, to… whatever they were now.

Sitting upright with a sigh, Two wished again she could go back and change everything within the past week, starting with killing the bastards who had betrayed them; who had hurt Five and tried to kill her, and would have killed the rest of her people. Kill them instead of allowing them to spend one second on board of their ship, near her people, near their Five. Gods, she could still see Cain straddling Five on top of the table…

…she hadn’t been able to go into there since.

She could also still feel the bone-shattering cold of space after being ejected, even after Three, of all people, gave up the password to the vault to save her. Despite the Android’s brief explanation of her… unusual… biology, she still didn’t understand what it all meant; both facts scared her. She also feared what the rest of the crew, especially Three and Four, would do; current situation not withstanding, she knew it was only a matter of time before it became the forethought in both of their minds, and they would begin to question her, and whether or not it was safe for them to be around her.

She had gotten her revenge on the traitorous bastards for their attack on her and her people, though their deaths were pitiful and over way too soon, Oh, if only she had had the time…

And then Five panicked, fleeing into the vents of the ship; Two couldn’t blame her for that. She had been attacked, brutalized; she had woken up, alone, not knowing what was going on, or when her attacker would return, so she fled and hid. They found her soon after, but not before she had injured herself further.

And then everything, Two’s whole world – completely ignoring the whole “not-human-can-survive-being spaced-and-who-knew-what-else” and the “we-all-lost-all-of-our-memories-and-one-us-is-probably-the-one-who-erased-them” events, their whole world got turned upside down, shaken violently and the placed back upright, everything falling down completely out of place.

An Alpha/Beta/Omega planet? Seriously? Not to mention the fact that it was the atmosphere which made the world so, not biology alone, so anyone who entered it would be affected?!

She’d only heard rumors of such places, not that she’d made a habit out of paying any attention to anything other than surviving after waking up with no memories; and pre-mind wipe, who knew if she’d known about ABO planets?

Ha, she’d made a joke.

Anyway…

They all still had many questions, despite the explanations from the Android, Marica, Jared, and the others, her included.

Were the effects they were starting to undergo reversible once they left the planet and its atmosphere?

What if they were stuck here for longer than a few weeks, or a month or more? What would happen to them?

How would they protect themselves, especially Five and One, when people from more than one unsavorable source wanted them? Were they allowed to do so, or would the law be against them?

What about Three, with his… how did they put it, going Feral? What would the local government do to him? Two clenched her teeth. She had just gotten her people back together; she’d be damned if she allowed them to be torn apart again. She’d find a way, even if it meant running… but they couldn’t; not with Five unable to walk right now, maybe for good; she didn’t even want to think about leaving the Omega girl behind.

The thought of Five brought on a whole new round of rage and guilt.

When she, Four and Six and first discovered the rest of their pack – crew! Where the heck did the term pack come from?! – was missing, she had hoped they were at least being kept together, and that Three would – grumbling – keep One and Five safe. He had done his best, going above and beyond anything she could’ve hoped for, especially given the situations the three of them had been placed in. She had watched the entirety of the security feeds of the three of them, from capture to their reunion in the blood-splattered hallway. He had tried to keep One and Five safe from the captors, fighting even when it was hopeless, and the ‘old’ Three wouldn’t have even bothered.

She watched him repeatedly fighting against larger, armed Alpha and Beta guards.

She watched him fight himself after Lucas drugged Five into a chemically-induced heat.

She watched him fall asleep, Five wrapped in his jacket and in his arms, One asleep on his shoulder.

And then…

It made her heart clench painfully to mentally relive watching One’s neck get snapped, despite knowing he was close by, asleep next to Three – in the same bed! Maybe there was some missing feed, because neither of them would have trusted the other so close while so vulnerable prior to this most recent fiasco – it still sent a shot of panic down her spine, watching the young Inquara fall to the floor like a discarded sack of flesh and bones.

Feral Three was someone she hoped she never had to face down, even with a weapon.

She had noticed Three’s cautious glances at the rest of them, especially her and Four, as if he was waiting for one of them to bring up what had happened afterwards, or to chastise him for his lack of control – not that a Feral had any control, from what she’d gleaned from Marica and the others – and given all of the circumstances in which he had lost control, even the time he had turned on Five, she couldn’t blame him, not at all.

Two shuddered; she dearly hoped she never lost it like that; she doubted any of them, even Five would be able to reach her and bring her back. That Three, so enraged he had turned on the girl, was able to fight back and take control? She envied his control – not to mention his actual control. Three wasn’t someone who really showed too much control, as was evident in his enjoyment in fights and overly large and dramatic weaponry.

But… they were all alive, that was all that mattered. Five was out of surgery, and even given the low odds of ever walking again, she would still be alive; One, too, was alive after his apparent death. Marica’s people were still working on how the illegal laboratory and the workers had been able to make a clone of One which actually looked like his present appearance, but also was functional on its own, with the real One’s consciousness within it. It was more like a duplicate, a homunculus, had been made of him instead of a clone.

Three, though under house arrest within the Clinic as long as he behaved himself and didn’t Feral out, was still free. Hopefully Marica would be of some assistance in making sure he wasn’t locked up; the videos of his loss of control, showing he only did so when One or Five were hurt or threatened should be of some help. She hoped so, anyways.

And the rest of them were all present and accounted for. She would do what she had to do to keep them all together; no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soo.... I know I just said above that the next chapter would continue the plot of this story, but would any of you be interested in a more... hem hem (who got that reference?! :D) explicit chapter, between One and Three?


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TaDa!!!
> 
> Trigger Warnings: briefest mention to past abuse, assault and self-harm.

The entire crew crowded into Five’s room for the evening meal the day after her surgery, all showered and in a change of clothes the Android had brought to them, since none of them had been willing to leave the Omega Clinic and leave Five (and Three – none of the rest of them wanted the city soldiers or, Gods forbid, the monsters behind the laboratory try and recapture the Feral Alpha), meals ranging from steak to spicy noodles to fruit and cheese balanced on laps or held on plastic plates.

“Marica’s been helping Three argue his case with the Governor and the City Council,” Two was telling Five. “They’ve seen the videos and been told first-hand accounts of some of the soldiers who’ve been captured working for whomever was running that mess, but they’re still not entirely convinced Three can be trusted out on his own.”

“Hey, they haven’t arrested me yet!” Three said through a mouthful of steak, weaving the sharp knife in the air. “I’ll take that as a good sign!”

“How much longer will it take them to make up their minds?” The Omega asked, frowning, a half-eaten strawberry in her hand.

Two shrugged. “Marica’s hoping by the end of the week. Like Three pointed out, he hasn’t been arrested yet, and Marica did say that was a good thing.”

Five smiled over at Three wordlessly before turning her attention back to Two. “How have the repairs been coming on the Raza?”

“Slow,” Two replied. “a lot of wiring in one of the thrusters burned out, and some of the couplings are proving harder to find replacements for, and are apparently a type you can substitute without risking a burnout mid-jump.”

“Not something we wanna have happen,” Six interjected with a grin. “but we’ll find the parts we need eventually. We’re not going anywhere until you’re fit for travel.”

Five smiled again before returning to her fruit. But something, a change or flash of emotion caught Two’s attention; her brief scent of confusion only added to the Guardvuk Alpha’s concern.

Once everyone was finished eating Two forced all of the men out of the room. “I’m sure Five would like to freshen up, and not with any of you watching. Don’t cause any trouble!” She added as they left.

Without looking back at her, Three flipped her off; his other hand was resting on the small of One’s back.

Pressing the nurse call button, Two requested bathing equipment from Charlie to at least wipe the Omega down while she laid on her bed, but the redhead waved her hand. “Just wheel the whole bed into the shower stall; it’ll more than fit the bed and you. The bed itself is plastic covered. We’ll just move her to a new bed once you’re done.” She smiled down at Five. “And I bet a mostly-real shower would feel wonderful for you. The only thing that’ll have to stay on is the plastic brace to keep your torso from moving.”

Charlie helped to roll her on her side and covered the incision site with a large, water-resistant bandage. “It can survive a shower, but not a bath. Sorry,” Charlie told Five when the other Omega made a face. “Once you’re healed up enough, we have a couple of baths with jets and seats and pillows, the whole works. You can soak for as long as you want! I even have some paper books you can read while you soak, if you’d be interested.”

Five’s grin was more than enough of an answer.

The tie-behind hospital gown came off easy enough, once Five had assured Two it was ok and she wouldn’t panic at being naked in front of the Alpha woman. Even though she’d known the smaller woman had been through Hell in the laboratory – not to mention before she had stowed away on the Raza – Two still grit her teeth in anger at seeing how thin the Omega was. Her bruises, cuts and scrapes had started to heal, but they were still starkly visible on Five’s white skin.

And then there were the scars.

The bathroom shower stall was tiled in soft teal squares as big as someone’s hand. The showerhead was on a long, flexible tube that swung from the ceiling, with gentle spray settings. Two gently started wetting Five’s body, who relaxed under its warmth with a smile.

“Feels good?” Two asked with a smile of her own.

“You have no idea,” Five replied, eyes closed. “I could soak in a bath for hours.”

The Alpha woman chuckled. “We’ll get you into one as soon as you’re cleared. I’ll even track down some bubble soap so you can have a bubble bath.”

Five giggled at the thought, but didn’t reply.

While she was soaping up Five’s hair – after arguing with the Omega, who had stated she could do that herself, to just let her do it because she wanted to help as much as she could – Two finally asked, “Why were you confused, when Six said we weren’t going anywhere until you were able to travel?”

Two watched the muscles in Five’s shoulders tense as she rinsed the shampoo out of the teal hair, noticing absently that they needed to redye it soon. Perhaps Dean would allow them to do that in a few days. Later she would track him down and ask.

After several moments, the Omega said slowly, “Why wouldn’t you and the others leave as soon as the Raza’s repaired? You all have so many questions you need answered, and you’re not going to get them here, especially you! And Four and Six need to clear their names, and – ”

Two placed a finger on Five’s lips to silence her as she stepped around so she could meet Five’s gaze. When she finally had it, she said firmly, “You are a part of the crew, and we’re not going anywhere, ANYWHERE, without you.”

Five shook her head vehemently. “I am NOT part of the crew! I’m just a stowaway, remember? Running away from the people who killed my friends over the strange card I foisted off of the wrong mark.” Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. “I can’t even remember or mourn my friends, even the one I stowed away on the Raza with! I have no place or use among the crew, and I don’t expect you guys to hold back finding answers because of – ”

“You are a part of the crew, Five.” Two interrupted. “You fix and hack and mend things I would have no clue of where to even start – ”

“The Android can do that, and she’s – ”

“Stop.” Two ordered; Five froze, mouth open in mid-retort. Two continued, “I’ve seen you fix things she couldn’t. I’ve seen you work out patterns and problems that stumped all of us. I’ve seen you face down monsters pretending to be human.” She put a gentle hand on Five’s shoulder. “But more importantly, Five… you keep us all from becoming monsters.”

Confusion washed over Five’s face, as well as in her scent. Two ran her fingers through Five’s hair. “I can’t remember before, and to be honest, I don’t want to know what kind of person I was before the mindwipe. I’ve seen enough glimpses through what the Android has found and my own… abilities… and I think Portia Lynn was a monster, willing to do anything for a price.” The Alpha shuddered, allowing the Omega under her hand to see the fear in her eyes. “I hate to think it, but I think – no, I know she’d even be willing to work for the people who were running that lab, or the fake child Omega sale Marica sent Lucas on. I…I…” she swallowed. “I hate her, Five. I hate myself. How many people, families, did I break apart as Portia? How much blood is on her hands, on mine? There’s no way I can ever rebuild what I’ve destroyed, or make up for it. And I’m afraid of becoming her again.”

“You won’t!” Five said fiercely, grabbing Two’s wrist. “I know you, this you, at least. Two, you aren’t Portia. You’re a good person. Even right after we all woke up, you made the choice to stand up to the Corporations and fight with the miners instead of killing them. From then on, yes you’ve made choices to protect us, you’ve even killed to protect us, even to protect me.” She paused, reaching up to place her hand over Two’s heart. “You did that to protect us. Do you really think Portia would’ve done that? I don’t. You did that on your own, not because of me. You all have changed from who you were before, even Three. You did that on your own, not because of me. You just need to stay true to your heart.”

Two didn’t know how to reply to that vote of confidence, or explain to the Omega that, while somewhat true, she still needed the young, teal-haired woman to keep her from the darkness which was always at the edge of her consciousness. She also had a feeling that the others also needed the light Five shown into their lives; the video clip of Five, her throat about to be crushed by Feral Three, remaining calm and talking him down and back to himself, flashed through her mind. Five had far more power in the lives of her packmates – crewmates! Oh what the Hell. Packmates – that she or even some of them even realized.

Finished with Five’s hair, Two lathered up a soft mesh ball with berry-scented body soap and gently started to bathe the Omega, arguing with said Omega, when she wanted to bathe herself, that she wasn’t supposed to be moving. She won the argument, but then found herself unable to bite back a growl of rage as she ran them mesh ball over Five’s scarred arms.

“Sorry,” Five murmured, averting her eyes from Two.

Two swallowed the anger back, and forcing herself to calm down. It took a minute more for her scent to not be one of rage. Finally, she said, “Don’t be, Five. I’m not angry with you, just at why they’re there.” She looked closer; there were older scars, faded to white and some hard to make out, but they were still there. Apparently, the aftermath of Cain hadn’t been the first time Five had hurt herself on purpose; she just hoped her friend never had a reason to do so again.

Wanting her to understand, Two said, “We’re not going to leave you, Five.” Two shook her head when Five opened her mouth to argue. “We’ll wait until you can walk, and are all healed up. Despite the… oddity of the planet and its effects on us, we’re at least safe from the Galactic Authority, and we’ll handle whatever we must here.”

Five shook her head violently. “No! You just discovered you’re different, and you’re desperate for answers to your past. Same thing with the rest of the crew. Four has to prove his innocence in his father’s murder. One has to find the real killer of his wife! Six and Three… they’re not the type to put down roots.”

“Then they can leave.” Two said firmly, leaning over Five’s body to lock gazes with her again. She hadn’t really thought about their options of staying or leaving, or what she would do on her own, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she was sure about her decision to stay with Five. “I’m not leaving you, Five. They can go if they wish, but I’m not going any where. I promise.”

The look of fear and hope in the Omega’s scent almost made the Alpha woman cry again. What had happened to the girl that she would always expect those around her to dump her like garbage and leave?

She would stay be the side of her Omega, and woe to those who thought they could hurt her. Five belonged to her; not sexually, but familialy*, just as the rest of the pack was (ignoring the fact she’d slept with both Three and One, she wouldn’t be doing that again). If the decided to leave on the Raza once it was repaired, and she was stranded until she could come up with another ship, then so be it. There was no way in Hell she was leaving her Five.

OoOoO

Two rejoined the rest of her pack after she, Dean, and Charlie had moved Five onto a clean bed and helped the weary Omega into a clean hospital gown, leaving the Omega to sleep now that she was completely clean and exhausted after the arguments with Two. They were in a small sitting area only yards away from Five’s room. One and Six appeared to be playing a game involving cards and a board with colored pegs. Three and Four were watching and sharpening their knives. Three got to his feet when he saw her approach, demanding answers.

“What?!” One shouted after Three bullied Two into telling them why Five had been so confused and worried before, almost dropping the four cards in his hands. “She thinks we’ll leave her behind?”

Two folded her arms across her chest. “Yes. Can you really blame her?” Her eyes flitted to Six, Four and One. “She knows we all have unfinished business, especially you three; she’s seen it when she walked through our memories. And she understands how the rest of us are drifters. But… I’m staying.”

“Wait, wait. You’re staying?” Three demanded, hands thrown in the air.

“I’m not leaving without her. If that means having to leave the Raza in your incapable hands, then so be it.”

Three shook his head and rolled his eyes as he turned away from her. Everyone else was mulling over her statement with varying states of emotions playing over their faces – and not to mention their scents.

One was the first to speak, though he did so hesitantly. “I know I was searching for my wife’s killer,” he said quietly, “And apparently I thought it was Three, thus the elaborate ruse to get a place among this crew. But… I know it wasn’t you,” he sighed heavily, looking over at Three. “I don’t remember her, or even if I loved her. I mean, I assume I do, otherwise why go through all of this?”

The Inquara sighed. “And even though it isn’t fair to her, to let her killer get away… I do know that the members of this crew are important to me, especially – ” he swallowed “ – especially after what we just went through… I’m not going to leave Five. I’m staying, too.”

“Me too.” Six stated, unconsciously tapping his own cards into the opposite palm. “I know I had a mission before the mindwipe, to prove my innocence in that bombing. But here… they don’t care about my past. They accept the goodness they see, and from what I’ve seen, they could use good fighters to keep the good and right where they belong. I’ve… I’ve already spoken privately to Marica,” he continued, looking at them a little guiltily, “I’ve got my practical test three days from now to join the City Guard.”

They all stared at him. “And when, exactly, were you planning on telling us?” Three demanded.

“There’s been a lot going on,” Six pointed out. “Not really been the right time to bring it up until now.”

Three shook his head, muttering to One, “Unbelievable, that one!” Then he focused on the Inquara. “And you! You’re staying too? What will you do? You can’t be on the Guard, not being part Omega.”

One shrugged. “I’ll find something. From what I’ve seen, they could use basic help around here. I’ll have to talk to Dean.”

Silence.

“I don’t know if I can stay,” Four murmured, boring holes into the wall opposite him with his eyes. “After what happened on my home planet,  being framed for the murder of my father by my step-mother and brother, whether he knew of her plans or not…”

Two nodded; she’d expected as much from the quietest member of their pack. “We all understand, Four. Perhaps the Android can find a way to get you to where you need to be and come back for those of us who stay. I wish I could come with you and help, but…” she shrugged helplessly. “I’m sorry, but I can’t leave Five.”

“I understand, Two.” Four told her. 

They all turned to look at Three, who glared back at them all, arms folded across his chest. “Well unless I can pull a Five and stow away on our own ship to escape the clawed grip on me by the local government, due to the whole Feral Alpha thing, I’m stuck here!”

Two was unimpressed with his minor temper tantrum. “If you want to leave that bad, I’m sure we can arrange something. Make it look like you took off into the depths of the city instead of escaping on the Raza with Four.”

Her lack of reaction made Three pause, mouth open to argue back; clearly, he hadn’t been expecting an offer of help.

After a couple of heartbeats, he muttered, “Give me time to think, alright?”

A clamor on the other end of the hall made them all jump to their feet and reach for their weapons. Dean, Marica, Charlie and two Beta nurses were either pushing or running beside a hospital litter bearing Jared.

“Shit,” Two muttered and ran after them. Catching up to the Beta that had stopped to grab a monitor, she demanded, “What happened? Is Jared ok?”

The Beta, about to snap at her to mind her own business, looked up and recognized her. Instead, he said, “Jared went into labor, that’s all. Seems to be progressing normally. Sorry, that’s all I can tell you, since you’re not family or pack.” He then trotted off with the machine.

“Jared went into labor,” Two told them when she returned to their corner. “According to the Beta, everything is going well so far.”

Everyone nodded except for Three, who was shaking his head in a mix of confusion and disbelief. “I still can’t believe men here can get pregnant.” He mimed his head exploding, and looked at the rest of them. “Right??”

Seven hours later, a weary Charlie told them that Kenzi and Rory were born healthy and currently asleep with their parents.

OoOoO

A week later, Marica found them in the small same little alcove; pillows and blankets were folded neatly in one corner, beverage bottles dotted the tables. The members of the Raza Pack minus their Omega, who was having an MRI done to monitor the healing of the nerves in her back were partaking in a poker tournament, with a variety of different small foodstuffs or credits towards better food and drink taking the place of the betting chips.

Currently, Three was losing. Cursing loudly, the Alpha threw his cards at Four to be shuffled. “Damn you, ice man! How do you keep winning?!”

“Don’t let your emotions play out so easily, and maybe you’ll start sniffing out a bluff when you see one,” the “Ice Man” suggested with a small smirk. “Then maybe you can win back some credits for liquor.”

Marica tossed the envelope she’d been carrying onto the table in front of Three. “Perhaps this’ll make you happy. It’s the offer of Feral Alpha Monitoring, Restrictions, and Rights agreement.”

Three eyed the envelope suspiciously. “That’s an awful big mouthful, Marica. Makes me sound like an animal on a leash.”

Marica shrugged. “It is a leash, in a manner of speaking. But, after reviewing all of the evidence and witness statements, I’m honestly surprised at how lenient they’re being with you. It’s one of the most liberal offers I’ve ever seen for a Feral Alpha, especially with how much off the deep end you went,” she added teasingly, grinning at Three, who told her where to stuff her cheerfulness as he carefully opened the envelope.

His scowl deepened as he read the offer. “I have to wear a monitor?!” he demanded. “What am I, a criminal on parole?”

One snorted into his drink; Six hid a grin by stuffing a piece of chocolate into his mouth. Even the corners of Four’s mouth twitched.

Two snatched the letter out of Three’s hands and read it over. “Looks like that’s the worst of it, besides reporting for weekly blood tests to monitor the hormone levels in your system.”

“When an Alpha goes Feral, their system is flooded with testosterone and teramicazone**, which is a hormone which only appears in the system when an Alpha is actively in their Feral stage.” Marica explained. “The longer they stay Feral, the more is in their system. High levels of that hormone can trigger a relapse into Feral state once the Alpha has come out of their Feral state.”

Three shuddered dramatically, muttering about becoming a pincushion.

“And lastly, you need to report any incidences of Feral relapses or near relapses to your assigned counselor, Castiel Collins.”

Three snatched the letter back. “I have to go have my head shrunk?!”

“You don’t HAVE to do any of this,” Marica informed him sternly, all traces of humor gone. “You can instead relinquish your rights to freedom and choose to be placed in the Feral section of the City Prison.”

The humor vanished from Three’s face as well. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No, I’m not.” Marica replied. “Those are your choices. Choose to be monitored by the government, and still have the freedom to walk about the city, to work on your ship, and be with your friends. Or you can choose to be placed into custody in the Feral facility. It’s very nice. As long as you remain you and don’t Feral out, you have access to their library, being outside at certain periods during your day, three meals, TV, and a place to sleep. It’s your choice.”

“Guys, guys! Look!”

Five’s excited shouts interrupted Three’s retort. Charlie pushed Five’s wheelchair over to their corner, her lips pressed together. Five was grinning.

“I take it the MRI showed good news?” Two asked, coming over to the Omega.

Five shook her head. “No. Well, we don’t know. The Doctor and Dean are reviewing them now. No, look!” she pulled the blanket off of her lap, and pointed at her feet.

Barely noticeable, but noticeable it was.

Five’s toes were moving.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *familialy: I made it up. Familial means family, but... hey it made sense to write it that way to me, so I hope it does to you, too.  
> **teramicazone: I made it up. Marica explained what it is.  
> Anybody recognize the two names of Jared and Marica's babies??
> 
> yay!! her toes moved!
> 
> Anywho, there'll only be a few more chapters in this story.
> 
>  
> 
> Buuut.... I have the next part in this series being chewed over in my mind! yay!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!  
> Trigger Warning: none that I can think of

Three weeks later, the repairs to the Raza were almost complete. The Android was finishing the installs on the couplings, and had informed Two that after they were installed, there was only at maximum three or four days of wiring left to do before it would be safe to take the ship out for a test flight.

Four sighed, a grimace flitting across his face in the pale morning sun. He was still utterly torn between proving his innocence in the murder of his father, and staying here with One, Two, Five, and Six (Three was still half-plotting on escaping with Four when and if he left). Pre-mind wipe him would have left at the soonest possible opportunity, he knew. He could still feel the raging anger and injustice at what had happened, and the helplessness (he hated feeling like that) at still not being sure how he could prove his innocence, barring getting his murdering mother in law to admit what she had done in front of witnesses and his half-brother.

But to stay here…

If one removed his vengeance from the picture, he could see himself being happy here, being on the Guard with Six and Marica. Justice and the law where very important to the Alpha, and the thought of helping to inforce it, and to protect adults (and children… Four still couldn’t believe there was even such a thing as a black market for Omega children… the people who ran them, let alone those who went there to actually buy deserved something much worse than the death he would give them) of the city, especially the Omegas like Five and One.

He was losing time to make a decision for either option. The Android said that as long as everything went smoothly on the test flight – and she didn’t see anything which would cause a problem – then the ship would be ready to leave once provisions were on board for whomever was leaving the planet.

He had tried to talk about it with Two. She had told him simply that he should go or stay, whatever he felt was the right choice to make. If he left, as long as they kept track of the planet’s location, they could always come back if they so chose. But the when, be it months or years, was left out of the statement.

One and Six, he knew, would tell him pretty much the same thing. Five, in her own way, would tell him to follow his heart and do the right thing.

Three…

Four grimaced. The one person he would hope he _wouldn't_  be stuck on a ship with for a long journey was more than likely the one person he  _would_ be stuck with. While so far the Feral Alpha had (complaining all the while) followed the rules which allowed him his freedom, from the ankle monitor to blood tests and talking with a ‘shrink’, he was doing it, which secretly surprised Four. He would have expected some kind of resistance besides verbal from the other man. Slipping the monitor off to go and wander the city, or skipping out on meeting with the psychiatrist.

But he hadn’t.

Three would wish him good luck while in the same breath scold him for abandoning the rest of the crew, especially Five and One. While he could accuse him of the same thing in regards to One (they all knew they were sleeping together, and in more ways than just sex), the other Alpha would just scoff, swear, and wonder off to another part of the ship, probably to clean one of his weapons.

A soft ‘ding’ scattered Four’s thoughts to the wind. Out of the corner of his eye, Four saw Meg, the Beta dark-haired night nurse with a spitfire personality enter Five’s hospital room at a run; the alert light above the door was flashing. Concerned, he got to his feet and walked silently over to the doorway.

Meg was holding Five’s hair away from her face while the Omega held a rectangular plastic bin to her chest, and was emptying her already empty stomach into it; more vomited bile was on the bed and floor.

Abandoning the doorway, Four returned to the Raza’s little nook area and snagged a bottle of water before entering Five’s room. Meg wasn’t in the main room, though it sounded like she was in the bathroom, washing the container. The dirty blankets were already in the hamper and an absorbent pad been tossed over the majority of the mess on the floor.

Five was sitting upright, legs drawn up to her chest and head resting on her knees.

“You’re up early,” she commented hoarsely. She lifted her head to meet his eyes.

She was crying.

Avoiding the mess on the floor, Four found his way to her side. He handed her the water bottle, for which he received a wet ‘thanks’ before he wiped away her tears with the back of his hand.

“Are you sick, Five?” he asked quietly.

“Dunno.” She replied, sipping the water. “Been feeling nauseous since yesterday afternoon.”

Four remembers the fruit tray from the day before. “Perhaps you’re allergic to one of those new fruits Charlie brought from the market for us to try.”

Five chuckled. “I hope not! They were all amazing. Especially that pink and green one with the white and black insides.”

“Dragonfruit.” He informed her. “It’s grown here in the more humid climates.” And also on his homeworld, he mentally added. It had been a game for him and his brother, trying to steal some out of the garden and get back to their ‘secret hideout’ to eat them.

“Oh good, one of you is up.” Meg had exited the bathroom and set the bin on the side table next to Five’s bed. “Make yourself useful so I don’t need to pull a nurse from a different unit. Help me get her into the wheelchair so I can change the sheets.”

Excited despite her nausea, Five attempted to drag her legs over the side of the bed; Four was at her side in an instant while Meg grabbed the wheelchair and moved it into position. Five’s legs, while she could now move them – albeit very awkwardly – the Doctor was ecstatic about the progress she was having. With Meg on one side and Four on the other supporting her, they shifted Five to the wheelchair with relative ease.

“Can we visit the garden?” Five asked, looking back up at Four with a smile.

Four found he couldn’t say no to her.

OoOoO

Three saw Four and Five leaving, discussing the garden, when his annoying bladder decided it was too full and wanted him to get up and visit the bathroom. Figuring the bathroom in Five’s room was closer than the one for guests, the Alpha almost ran into the Beta in the room as she turned away from the stripped bed, arms full of sheets.

“Watch it!” he growled at her, stumbling into the wall to avoid her.

“You’re the one who stumbled in here, hung over and reeking of booze!” she snarked back at him. “Not to mention you could’ve seen me before I saw you. Why didn’t you go around me?”

The smell of vomit and bile halted any retort Three had been about to make. “What happened? Is Five sick?”

Meg shrugged as she stuffed the sheets into the laundry bin. “She hit the call button and by the time I got in here, she was already throwing up over the side of her bed. I heard them talking about some exotic fruit and her possibly being allergic.”

Three nodded at that before he stumbled into the bathroom. After he was done, he found Meg and Four getting Five back onto the newly made bed. The Omega’s skin was sweat-covered and pale. Before they could swing her legs onto the bed she waved wordlessly towards the bin, which was thrust into her hands by the Beta nurse. She immediately started dry-heaving over it, curling in on herself with Four steadying her as her whole body shook; the nurse was holding back her hair from her face.

Deciding Two should be aware of what was going on, The Alpha exited the room. Two was already stirring when Three walked over and kicked her futon.

“What the hell, Three?” she snarled, sitting upright with a wave of messy hair falling over her face and a gun in her hand.

Three huffed. “Thought you’d want to know that Five has been throwing up for the past hour, at least.”

That seemed to be the right thing to say to keep the woman from snarling any more at him about the rough wakeup call.

“Why? What’s happening?” she asked as she climbed to her feet, shoving her hair out of her face.

Three shrugged. “Something about being allergic to the fruit from yesterday. She’s hurling her guts out.”

By the time Two reached Five’s room Four was helping Five sip from a water bottle; a dark-haired nurse was typing up some notes on the room’s computer documentation system.

“Five?” she asked as she came up next to Four. “Are you feeling any better?”

Five shrugged without moving her body an inch. “There’s not a whole lot left to come up,” she said with a weak smile. “The nausea mostly goes away and then comes rushing back faster than a jump to FTL.”

Before Two could ask any more questions, Dean and Charlie came in. “Alrighty, let’s take a look at you, huh? Any pain that’s new?”

“Just my head.”

Dean nodded as if he’d been expecting that answer. “Well given how hard it sounds like you were throwing up, that’s not unexpected.” He looked like he wanted to shoo Two and Four out of the room, but halted the thought before it was even completed, dismissing it as both pointless and fruitless. Instead he said, “We’re going to draw some blood and run some tests, just to be sure there’s not something else causing you to be sick.”

“What could it be?” Two asked.

“It could be she’s allergic to one of the fruits from yesterday.” Dean replied as he examined Five’s arms for a good spot to draw blood from. “It could be a virus and bacterial infection as well. That’s why we’re drawing the blood to run.”

They ended up having to draw blood from the back of Five’s hand since the veins along the insides of her arms were bruised from being a human pincushion for a variety of medicines and IV drips. While the needle was still in her arm from the blood draw, Charlie injected a swift anti-nausea medication. That was followed by a mild oral sleeping pill.

Two tucked the clean blankets in around the Omega; over her shoulder, catching Five’s eye, Three mouthed ‘mother hen’ and then proceeded to silently cluck and strut his way out of the room, sending Five into a fit of giggles. Two, catching the last little bit of the Alpha’s performance, merely glared at him.

“I really don’t know what we’ll do with him,” Two commented, shaking her head and turning back to Five with an exasperated mock huff, the corners of her lips  twitching.

“ ‘e followed me home from th’ market, Ma. Can I keep ‘im?” Five asked with a fake (Two thought) thick accent, clasping her under her chin.

“I ain’t a dog!” was shouted from outside the room, followed by laughter from the rest of the pack as well as Charlie, Meg, and Dean.

This only made Five giggle worse. “Meow?” she mewed with a chortle.

“Allergic!”

Suddenly Five’s giggling turned to coughing, which turned to dry-heaving. Thankfully Two managed to get the bin under Five’s chin, though nothing came up.

Two ran her fingers through the Omega’s (recently recolored) dark teal locks as the Omega breathed raggedly over the bin, fighting back the nausea. “Breathe, sweetie. Deep breaths. Do you want a sip of water?”

Five shook her head. “No, but I’d like to brush my teeth before the sleeping drug kick in though.”

Two nodded and fetched the items from the bathroom.

OoOoO

One and a reluctant Three met Jared, Marica, Rory, and Kenzi in the garden, since the twins had been born early they were still being kept at the hospital; Six went to fill out the last forms he needed before he started working as a part of the City Guard in two days. Funnily enough, as a lowly little new recruit, he had been placed on rotation to patrol the blocks around Dean’s Omega Hospital; Four had vanished with no explanation.

“You didn’t need to come with, you know.” One pointed out as he took a seat and took Kenzi from Marica, making faces at the black-haired infant, who looked up at him with wide eyes as if she thought he was nuts (well he is, Three mentally thought, before realizing the fact he was agreeing with a baby and realized that would apply to him as well).

“Seeing you make a fool of yourself is currently entertaining.” Three quipped, leaning back in his sear. “I think I can suffer being around little bundles of so-called joy for that.”

“No offense,” One said as an apology for his friend/lover (maybe? What would you call someone you slept with but still considered a frienemy?).

Marica merely laughed. “It’s just Three, One. You don’t need to apologize for his... unfilteredness. He’s harmless.”

Three’s sputtered indignation was drowned out by One’s laughter. “Oh trust me, you threaten his guns, he’s far from harmless. They’re the only things he loves. He even names them!”

“Well, I have a lieutenant who named all over her knives, so I kinda know how you feel,” Marica told One. “She actually buried one when it broke and couldn’t be repaired.”

“Oi, even I’m not  _that_ attached to my babies!” Three pointed out. “I’m not nuts.”

One shook his head. “If you say so.”

Jared looked over at Three. “How’s everything going with you, anyways? You never came with Five when she came to visit us so I haven’t had a chance to ask, if you don’t mind me asking that is.”

Three made a face similar to One had made a minute ago to Kenzi. “Like crap. People are tracking my every move. Probably know every time I go to take a freaking leak.”

“I don’t think those trackers are  _that_ sensitive, if it makes you feel any better.” Marica offered, attempting not to laugh, and failing.

“Yeah, well, still creepy.” He sighed. “Other than that, the bloodwork has been clean every time.”

“That’s good!” Jared said with a smile. “Hopefully things keep going well.”

OoOoO

After Five fell asleep, Two took a walk out to the Raza to assess the status of the repairs in person only to find Four had beat her to it.

“So you really planning on leaving when she’s ready to go?” She asked him as he looked over the logs of the repairs.

He didn’t answer at first, nor did he turn around. “I have to.” He said after a few moments. “I have to prove that I didn’t kill my father. I have to bring his true murderer to justice. Even if that justice is on the end of my blade.”

For Four, that was a lot to say; Two was impressed. To be honest, she wanted him to stay. It was one more person – she couldn’t really say friend, because they weren’t, though exactly what they were she couldn’t name – she could count on in a fight, to have her back, and to help keep watch over the others and be watchful for enemies. But she also couldn’t hold him back from his mission.

“How do you plan on doing that?” she asked instead.

He finally turned to face her, a slight frown on his face. “I don’t know. I doubt my mother-in-law will admit to anything should I use threats, even of her own life, and that of her son. And my brother… she’s his mother. There is nothing I can say to change him mind otherwise.” He walked around her to look at a different log, one of the current provisions, mainly fresh, frozen, and canned real food, courtesy of the City Counsel as a thank you for revealing the experimental lab right under their own noses. All of them had speculated quietly about how many of these Alphas had known about it, were taking bribes to ignore it, or could actually be helping to fund it and keep it under the radar. It was rather a long list, sadly.

His rage was what was driving him. If he could let it go, perhaps he could settle down here with the others. Though, he had to admit, the rage he was currently feeling no doubt was slight compared to how he had felt pre-mindwipe.

But…

The members of the Raza, Five, Two, Six, One… even Three and the Android… he trusted them (with varying degrees). He couldn’t say that about anyone on his home planet. Even if he did make it there, and managed to get his step-mother to admit what she had done, what then? Some may believe it and be loyal to him, but others wouldn’t, and would remain loyal to his brother. He would have to sway the opinions of the elite, the commoners, the soldiers and their officers.

He owed it to the memory of a father he didn’t remember. A father he didn’t know if he loved, or who loved him back.

A small part of him knew it was impossible.

He didn’t want to admit it.

“I still haven’t decided,” he said heavily. “I’m not going to do anything foolish, either.”

Two tucked away a smile. “I never thought you would do otherwise.”

OoOoO

It was late afternoon when Two and Four returned to the Omega Clinic. Six had all of the new gear he had been assigned scattered across the long table Charlie had dug out for them to eat on their first week at the clinic. Three had stolen and taken apart the handgun, muttering about idiots who didn’t know how to clean their weapons properly while One was reading a (paper!) book on the history of the planet.

“The Raza looking like her old self again?” Six asked when they sat down in ‘their’ corner; Three looked up, interested.

Two nodded. “It’s getting there. Couple more days, a week at the most. A lot of the provisions have already been loaded. After that, the Android and I can take her for a test flight, make sure everything is in order.”

“Don’t you even think about leaving us behind,” Three warned, waving the loaded magazine at her. “I’ll find my own ship and hunt you down.”

Two cocked an eyebrow at him. “Seriously, Three? You think that, if I wanted to leave, I’d a, announce it, and b, not be able to do so in a way you couldn’t track?”

“I’d find a way,” he muttered as he reassembled the now much cleaner and oiled (it hadn’t been before). “I’d steal Five. She can hack anything and find you. And before you can growl at me, Four, you can come too.”

Four, who had felt a slip of rage at the mention of the other Alpha ‘stealing’ the Omega.

“Besides,” Three continued, “You’d probably be leaving with Two anyways, since you want out of here so badly, it wouldn’t matter anyways.”

Dean clearing his throat broke through the rising tension. “Two? I need to speak with you and Five. Alone,” he added, when the rest of them stood up. “You can all have the details later.”

Three muttered something unintelligible under his breathe as the two Alphas vanished into Five’s room.

“There’s a package for you guys.” Meg said as she walked over to them, bearing a box the size of two hands. “No name, though.” She handed it to Six before returning to her station down the hallway.

Three got up to peer at it. “Who the heck would send us a package without signing it?”

“Perhaps it’s from Lucas.” One said quietly. “Maybe he wants to taunt you, or make you revert to being Feral and get arrested.”

“I’ve been doing wonderful!” Three cried. When they all looked at him, he said, “Honestly, I have. And how would he get me to revert to being Feral, anyways?”

Four got up. “It could be in an aerosolized canister, set to go off when the package is opened. You should move away before we open it.”

“What about you?” Three asked Four.

“We should do it outside.” One said. “That way we don’t risk contaminating the entire hospital if Four is right.” He got up, motioning at Three and Four. “Both of you should stay here. Six and I will go out into the garden and open it. If it’s safe, we’ll bring it back in.”

Four didn’t look happy, but he nodded in agreement; Three took a little more convincing before he finally settled back down and started dismantling Six’s other gun.

Shaking their heads at the Alpha, One and Six exited the building and headed for the far side of the garden.

“Do you really think Lucas would do something like try and turn Three Feral again?”

One nodded. “Yes. Yes he would. Though, he does prefer to be more flashy with his taunts. He likes you to know it was him.”

Six chuckled humorlessly. “Then being the spy in Marica’s trusted circle must’ve been hard for him to keep a lid on it.”

The Inquara shrugged as the Beta carefully cut open the package. “Yeah, but at the same time it was a game to him. And the longer he could maintain his cover and deceive Marica, the better he would be able to gloat in the end.”

“True.” Six nodded. He put the package down on the ground, fingers holding the lid closed. “Ready?”

OoOoO

“Why do you need me?” Two asked Dean before they entered Five’s room. “Was there something in the bloodwork?”

Dean nodded gravely. “Yeah, something unexpected. And I feel Five will want you there as support.”

OoOoO

Three was only half-finished with oiling up the gun parts when One and Six returned. “That was fast!” he quipped. “I take it it didn’t contain drugs?”

Six set the box down in front of the Alpha. “No, it didn’t.” he growled, before walking away to stare angrily out the window, while One perched on his chair, body rigid.

Concerned, Three opened the lid on the box. Inside was a lock of freshly dyed teal hair, tied together with a ribbon the same color as Five’s collar, and a note:

**_You lot really aught to keep a better watch over your little Omega, Raza Pack. Otherwise someone might take it into their heads to take her for their own_**.

 OoOoO

When Dean and Two entered Five’s room, they found the Omega reading a book similar to the one One had been reading on the history of the planet, but more in regards to Omegas than just the general overview his was.

“Two! What’s up?”

Two wasn’t sure how to answer. “Just checking on you. How’re you feeling?”

Five set the book aside and made a face. “Still feel like throwing up, but not as bad. Hungry too, but don’t want to eat anything ‘cause it’ll just come right back up.” She caught the look which passed between her friend and the doctor. “What is it?”

“He said… Dean said there was something unexpected with your bloodwork.” Two said hesitantly as she approached Five’s side. “He said he wanted to talk about it with the two of us.”

Fear blossomed in Five’s eyes, and she grabbed Two’s hand and held onto it tightly. “What is it?” she asked hoarsely. “Am I sick, or dying, or?”

Dean glanced down at the results again before saying slowly, “I want you both to know, when this showed up… we ran the test two more times, to be sure it wasn’t a false flag.”

“What is it?” Two demanded angrily, her body curling protectively in front of Five. “What is wrong with her?”

“She’s… Five, you're pregnant.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me?  
> Please, please tell me what you think!!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: mention of rape and pregnancy from rape

Two and Five stared, dumbfounded, at Dean for several heartbeats, Two clutching Five’s hands tightly in her own. The Omega was shaking.

“Pregnant?” Five finally managed to repeat, her voice faint and face dead white.

Dean nodded solemnly. “Yes.” He paused. “I’m sorry… I have to ask. When was the last time you…” he trailed off, seemingly having guessed the answer wasn’t going to be a pleasant one.

Five’s breathes started coming in short, panicked gasps, her grasp on Two tightening and eyes squeezed tightly shut. Two slipped her hands free from Five’s grasp and slid her arms around the shaking Omega and pulling her into a tight embrace.

“We can talk later,” Dean murmured to Two, his eyes hard with suppressed rage, though it was starting to leak out into his scent. “If you want, you can take her to your room where it’d be more comfortable for both of you to stay together.”

Two nodded her thanks as the Alpha exited. She turned her attention to the Omega in her arms; silent sobs were shaking her body, tears soaking Two’s shirt. Slipping a hand up to card through Five’s hair, she murmured, “Five? I’m going to move us to my room. Just breathe, alright?”

“ ‘k.” was all the response Five was able to get out. “Th’ others…”

Two nodded, her cheek pressed against the top of Five’s head. “They’ll want to know what’s wrong,” she agreed. “Do you want me to tell them, or not? Whatever you decide.”

Five shrugged. “I d-don’t care…” she hiccupped. “Th-they’ll think I’m…” she couldn’t even voice it.

Two shook her head and tightened her arms around her friend. “They love you, Five. They’re not going to hate you, or think any less of you.”

Five didn’t respond except to turn her face into Two’s jacket, hand’s clenched tightly in its fabric.

Choosing to move her, Two slipped an arm under Five’s knees and picked her gently off of the bed.

As she had figured, the rest of the Raza pack were waiting worriedly in ‘their’ little nook outside of Five’s room. They had seen Dean leave and smelled his rage. Adding that to their own after opening the anonymous package it was no surprise they started to jump on Two when she emerged with Five in her arms.

“What did he say – ”

“Is Five ok – ”

“Why is – ”

“Later.” Two hissed, glaring at the men. “I’m taking Five to my room to rest, not be questioned by you guys. If you can’t keep silent, then stay here!”

One instantly went silent, grabbing his gear bag and straightening, looking intently at Two.

Four’s eyes were locked on Five in her arms, and Two could see him putting the pieces together, if the twitching muscles in his jaw were anything to go by.

Three was grumbling, but when she raised an eyebrow at him, he sighed theatrically, mimed locked his mouth and threw away the key.

Six nodded, but mouthed, ‘something happened. We need to talk to you, too.’

Dread settled deeper in Two’s stomach, but she nodded to him in understanding. Given the stress she was under, she doubted Five would be awake for very much longer. They could talk then.

The men followed Two to her room like a line of lost puppies; somewhere along the way, Five passed out in her arms. Dean must have sent word around the clinic, because while some of the staff seemed to want to say something, no one said a word.

One ran ahead and opened the door to Two’s rooms, holding it open until everyone was inside and then closing it behind them while Two settled Five on the bed, who had indeed passed out on the way there. Her body was still taut with tension, fists clenched even after Two removed her jacket from her grip.

After pulling a spare hospital blanket around the Omega, Two turned to Six and the others. “What did you need to tell me?”

One pulled the box out of his pack. “This was sent to all of us at the clinic anonymously. At first, we thought it might be aerosoled drugs to target you Alphas, especially Three, given his…” he trailed off for a moment. “…condition.”

Three flipped him off. “But it wasn’t.” he growled. “Show her.”

Still holding onto the box, One removed the lid to show Two. She first looked at the lock of hair, then she read the note before turned back to Five, gently feeling around on her head until she found what she was looking for.

“It’s hers,” she muttered, turning back to the others. “I can feel a small short section of hair, near the nape of her neck.”

Three swore; One and Six looked furious.

“They must have someone on staff.” Said Four harshly. “And they walked right by us and got to her. What’s to prevent them from doing worse to her?”

Two ran a hand through her hair. “From now on, once she’s back in her room – if she goes back – one of us is always with her. We’ll rotate. They can’t get to her if we’re right there.”

“Agreed. I’ll help.” One declared immediately. “We can use the comms too, to keep the others posted of possible targets to monitor if they seem suspicious.”

Three gave him a strange look. “Since when are you Mr. Suspicious And Observant?”

One frowned. “I’ve always been both. Just because you haven’t noticed doesn’t mean I haven’t had the skills.”

“Alright, alright, enough you two.” Six interrupted, motioning for them to keep their voices down with a glance at the unconscious Five. “You can bicker or whatever else it is you two do later.” He turned his gaze to Two. “What did Dean say? Is Five ok?”

“It’s rather obvious she isn’t.” Three snarked, though he kept his voice low.

“What did the doctor say?” One asked softly.

When Two hesitated, Four said, “She’s pregnant, isn’t she.” His words were a statement, not a question. “It was Cain, wasn’t it.”

One, Three and Six turned to stare first at him, then at Two.

“No…” One looked sick. He swallowed hard. “I thought maybe… he’d given her a disease. There’s so many spread… that way… that they haven’t been able to find cures, or even descent treatments for yet…”

Six looked pained. “What do we do now?” he murmured softly.

“Find Cain and Wexler and kill them again.” Three snarled. Inside, the Beast howled with delight at the thought of bloodshed. Five might not be  _his_ Omega, that was One (nonono! Three tried to argue, but the Beast wouldn’t listen), but Five was part of his pack (crew! Godsdamnit!), and she was precious to him; to them.

Too bad the targets for his – for their – rage were long dead by now.

A hand on Three’s arm made him whip around, fist at the ready. One flinched a little, but didn’t move, or remove his hand. He said softly, “Three, your eyes are starting to change. They’re already dead, the ones who did this to her. All we can do now is protect her from further harm.”

Three took several steadying, shaky breaths before the Beast settled down with a grumble, conceding that his (not!) Inquara was right.

When Three’s eyes returned to normal, One let out an internal sigh of relief. He had never actually calmed Three down before when he was going into or already in his Feral state, but he had watched (and rewatched) the videos of Five doing so.

“What is she going to do?” Six asked quietly.

Two shook her head. “I don’t know. Either way, it is her decision, and hers alone. It’s her body, and her choice.” She glared at each man in turn, daring them to argue with her.

A knock on the door halted anything any of them might have said. As One approached the door, the rest of them slid hands to weapons (including Three, against the parole agreement, though it wasn’t like any of the rest of the pack were going to say a word).

It was Dean.

“Can it wait, Dean?” Two demanded softly. “Five’s resting.”

He shook his head. “It cannot.” He sighed, eyes drifting over to the fitfully resting Five. “Is she asleep?”

“She passed out.” Replied Two. Taking in his creased forehead, she continued, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

The Alpha doctor motioned for them to follow him out into the abandoned hallway. He didn’t speak for a moment, leaning against the railing which lined the opposite wall, arms crossed over his chest and head tilted back. After a few moments he said quietly, “I had forgotten about this rather obscure, ridiculous law. Charlie reminded me of it.”

“What. _Law?_ ” Four growled.

“Because Five is an Omega, isn’t originally from here, and arrived pregnant, she belongs to the Government and Staff, unless an Alpha claims her within three days of medical confirmation of the pregnancy.”

“What?!” Two demanded, aghast. “They can take her away from us, just because she’s pregnant?!”

“Well…” Dean winced. “Like I said, it’s an old law. First rights of ownership actually belong to the father of the b – ” Dean didn’t get to finish as Four had grabbed him by his throat and shoved him against the wall.

“Four!” cried Two. “Don’t!”

Four, however, wasn’t listening. “So, you’re telling me,” he snarled, voice low and shaking with rage. “That if her _rapist_ was still alive, she’d ‘belong’ to him?!”

Two and Six finally managed to pull Four off of Dean.

Behind them, One had a grip on Three, who’s eyes were dangerously close to turning amber.

Dean rubbed his throat. “It’s a horrible, outdated law,” he agreed. “one that should be revoked, or countered. But cases like Five’s happen maybe once every couple of decades, which is why not a lot of attention is paid to it.” He looked at Two. “I take it from Four’s words, the rapist is dead?”

“You’re damn right he is!” Three snarled before anyone else could reply. “An’ I aint telling who did it, either. He deserv’d worse!”

“I won’t argue with you there.” Dean replied calmly. “But that still leaves the second part of the law, that she has to be claimed by an Alpha within three days, or else she’ll be seized by the Government.”

“What does it take to claim an Omega?” Asked Six and Four in unison.

“I’ll claim her.” Two said at the same time.

Dean smiled. “You’re lucky,” he said, “Usually it takes weeks of paperwork here in the city. But given the circumstances, the Omega Rights and Bondage Office should be able to push it through within the three-day time limit.”

“Should?” Two repeated, crossing her arms over her chest. “What if they don’t?”

“Then she becomes property of the Government until a hearing.”

“Not happening!”

“What are our other options?” Six asked, stepping between Dean and the rest of the pack, hands out.

“Well…” Dean trailed off for a moment, not reacting to the rage of the Alphas across the hallway from him.

“Well, what?” Two demanded.

Dean looked from one of them to another, appearing almost hesitant. “There’s… the more traditional form of claiming.”

“Which is?”

“A Mating Bite, usually on the neck, which usually occurs during… sex. But it doesn’t always!” he hurriedly added. “It’s not done much anymore, not in the Cities, sometimes not even the outlying towns. It’s viewed as degrading to the Omegas.”

“None of us are having sex with Five!” Four spat. “Not after what she’s been through.”

“There has to be another way.” Added Three, shaking in One’s grasp.

“You said that it ‘usually’ occurs during sex. I take it a Mating Bite can happen without sex?” Two asked hopefully.

Dean tucked his hands into his pockets. “It can, rarely. Usually it’s a parent claiming a child. Or a Guardvuk Alpha building their pack.” He looked at Two. “I have a feeling you’re a Guardvuk, aren’t you, Two?”

Two nodded, still looking more than a little sick at the thought of the Mating Bite, even without sex.

But if it was the only way to protect Five…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts?


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: discussion of past rape, torture, and pregnancy from rape

While Five rested fitfully in the middle of the _huge_ bed in Two room with one of the many pillows clutched to her chest, the other five of them spoke quietly about their options in the sitting area with Dean and Meg present to talk with them about the rules and regulations of the city and the planet. Their unique position – the fact that none of them had a sexual relationship with the Omega in question – put a few kinks in the works, but none of them were willing to start a relationship with the Omega, either.

That left ‘familial’ relationships, which they all could state that they had, given they were a ship crew (and that they all had no memories of previous family. At least that was still alive).

Dean explained where they would have to go to start the paperwork, and Meg volunteered to walk whichever one of them wanted to file it to the Hall office location if they decided not to just go with a Claiming Bite.

Performing a Claiming Bite was vetoed except as a last resort by all thee Alphas in very short order, with One and Six agreeing wholeheartedly.

So that left filing an official Claim with the Omega Rights and Bondage office; Bondage not being anything sexual or kinky, Meg had to explain when Three snickered one too many times and One slapped the back of the Alpha’s head. It meant to be bound together, a bond between two or more people. Outside of an Alpha and an Omega, the Bond was similar to a marriage license, barring it restricted the rights of the Omega to the rules of the City and State, as well as their Alpha.

Next came deciding who would be the one to file for the Claiming of their Five; Two quickly volunteered, but Four countered her.

“They’re more likely to allow it to go through if Four does it.” Dean said when the two Alphas started arguing in low voices. “A romantic Claim will typically go through a lot quicker than a platonic one.”

“Same sex relationships don’t happen here?” asked Two incredulously.

“But I’m not in love with her.” Four retorted at the same time.

Behind his back, One and Three shared a pointed look; Six snickered silently. Noticing their exchange, Meg pressed her lips together in silent laughter.

“Same sex relationships do happen, just not as often.” Meg told Two before turning her attention to Four. “Nonetheless, a male Alpha Claiming a female Omega is rarely anything but romantic.” She told him, the stuffed-down humor leaking out in her voice. “It doesn’t matter what you do or do not feel for her; just what the officer reviewing the case sees.”

After a little bit more arguing, Two finally conceded to Four, agreeing that his Claim would be more likely to be approved quickly.

“You can list the others as ‘backup’ Alphas, Alphas who can take ownership of Five should something happen to you. It’s a very good thing to do, because otherwise they revert to being owned by the Government, and then they’re ‘paired off’ with an Alpha seeking an Omega. They’re not usually the best sort of Alphas.” Dean said before he left for his rounds. “You can list up to five, I think it was.” He hesitated briefly. “If you want, you can list me as well.”

Six had to leave for his shift after that, and Four decided to go and file the paperwork as quickly as possible.

“C’mon, big, strong, and mostly silent Alpha.” Meg said after she had changed into her street clothes, hands on her hips. “I’ll drop you off at the OPB office. Remember how to get back, though, I don’t plan on waiting for you.”

It was easy enough to get to the OPB office from the clinic, which was in a smaller outbuilding of the central City Hall building. There were two Betas at their desks; the female one waved him over. “What can I do for you today?”

“I… I need to file an Omega Claiming.”

“Resident, or Alien?”

Four blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Are you a resident, or did you crash-land here?”

“Crashed.”

“Why the sudden rush to get the Omega Claimed?”

Four hesitated. “We just… we just found out she’s pregnant.”

“And the baby isn’t yours.” It wasn’t really a question from the Beta. When Four nodded, she got up and pulled open a cabinet behind her desk, removing a several paged document. “Here you go,” she said as she handed it to him. “Any questions at all, just ask.”

He filled it out as best he could, listing the Omega Clinic as their address and point of contact, should any questions or issues arise. He also put Two and then Three down as backup Alphas, should something happen to him; after some thought, he also listed Dean. It also asked about their health. After a brief hesitation, Four listed ‘Feral under Government supervision’ for Three. Better to be honest than they run Three’s name through their system and find it out themselves.

Some of the other questions regarding Five were… odd.

**How do plan on Marking the Omega?**

**Tattoo**

**Brand**

**Collar**

**Tag**

**Other (please specify):**

**Do you plan on renaming the Omega? What is it now, and what will you be changing it to?**

**Do you plan on doing any body modification to the Omega?**

**Gauges (list where)**

**Piercings (Ears, face, nipples, genitals, dermal: List where)**

**Branding/scarification/tattoos (list what and where)**

**Does the Omega had any health concerns, physical or mental?**

**Is the Omega currently Pregnant?**

**Is it yours?**

**Do you want the pregnancy terminated?**

**Do you want the Omega to be spayed/neutered?**

 

**Do you want the Omega to be fitted with a vaginal Birth Control?**

**Do you want the Omega to be chipped with GPS?**

**Do you plan on sharing the Omega?**

 

On and on it went, seven whole pages getting more disturbing as it went on. He didn’t even want to think of some of what he was reading happening to _anyone_ , let alone Five, or One.

At the end, it also stated that it was perfectly legal to leash an Omega, to use physical discipline in public, and to even use shock collars.

They could make the Omega kneel on the floor when out in public instead of letting them sit at the table.

That they could make their Omega go out in public in anything they wanted to Omega to wear… or nothing at all.

_Spaying, genital piercings, branding, physical discipline, leashing, public nudity… are they fucking serious?!_

It was difficult, to keep his face impassive as he handed the paperwork back to the female Beta but he managed it, even when he got an odd look from the Beta who accepted and reviewed the paperwork when she saw the Feral Alpha listed, but to her credit she didn’t say a word about it or any of the other questions.

“We’ll contact you at the Omega Clinic should we have any further questions regarding your Omega Claiming case.” She tried to give him an encouraging smile. “We will do our best to get the Claiming paperwork pushed through within the three day deadline; I’ll call you if there are any holdups. Then you can decide if you wish to proceed with the more traditional Claiming, or if you want to allow her to be seized by the state and then file for Claiming Custody; that usually takes two to three weeks. Because of her health condition, she would more than likely be remaining at the Omega Clinic, but depending on the case worker, the officer might chose to move her to Omega Holding at City Hall.”

So much for trying to be encouraging.

Four thanked her shortly as he left, letting the door slam shut behind him.

He didn’t want to think of the ‘traditional’ way; he didn’t want to do that to Five. Even if he just Bit her… she had enough scars from herself and others, he didn’t want to add yet another. It also sounded like with the Bite the only way to keep her Claimed and protected would be for him to remain on the planet, unlike filing for the Claiming where he could leave her in Two and – gods forbid – Three’s care, though to be fair, the prickly, gun-loving Alpha had changed in regards to their pack – _crew! What the Hells_ … - including One and Five, especially after the horror of the laboratory.

Four didn’t want to think of what they had gone through there.

He could still smell the reek of the coppery tang of blood, and terror, and death, coating that hallway deep underground. He could still envision the hallway, lights flickering ominously overhead, illuminating the scene of torn-up bodies, abandoned weapons, broken glass, and everywhere… blood.

He could still see Three, knees bent, fingers rigid as if they were claws, eyes glowing bright, raging amber, his whole body covered in blood.

And then Five… sweet, innocent, strong Five, crawling through the glass and the blood, dragging her useless legs behind her to grab Three’s ankle, bringing him back from whatever – wherever – his Feral state sent him into. From the research he had done on his own, the fact she was able to reach him at all was astounding, and to be able to bring him completely out of the Feral state he had been in… and from what little Three had told them of the time between when they had witnessed One’s ‘death’ and the rest of them catching up with the running pair, she had pulled him out more than once.

The fact she did that for him aroused a very strong protective and possessive streak about the teal-haired Omega Four didn’t know he had. True, he had always cared about her, wanted to protect her.

But this…

Five was  _his_. While he knew Three would never harm a hair on Five’s head – quite the opposite, to be honest – he still viewed the other Alpha as a potential threat to Five.

To him taking her away from him, Four realized with a jolt, feeling foolish for having not figured it all out beforehand. His Alpha side was worried Three would take Five as his own, because she could pull him from his Feral state.

Miikaina Omegas, from what he had remembered reading, were almost sirens, able to calm raging Alphas and even Ferals, as she had with Three. A few could even become manipulative, turning Alphas on each other. But they were very rare, roughly one in several hundreds of thousands, and that was on all documented ABO societies, not just this planet.

And for one to be ‘made’, as Five had been, arriving on an ABO planet? Add another one or two zeros.

But he had seen Three’s looks at One. There was something starting between them, to be sure. It was very amusing, given their history.

“Got the paperwork filed, then?”

Four glanced up, finding Three and One laden down with shopping bags of food, drink, and what looked like a few used actual physical _books_ , as in paper books. In another bag there was what looked to be a bright blue and purple stuffed cat child's toy. Hopefully that was for Five, not a gag gift from Three to someone else.

“Yes.” He replied. “The Beta who filed it said she would let us know if there were any hangups which might delay it. They will probably allow her to stay at the Omega Clinic, should the paperwork be delayed too long.”

“Delay as in past the three days?” One asked. “What happens if your Claiming is delayed? Will you Bite her?”

Four sighed. “I’ll have to, to keep her safe.”

“Yeah, but then you won’t be able to leave like you want.” Three pointed out.

Four glared at him. “I know that!” he took a deep breath and let it out. “I know that,” he repeated, voice more steady. “I will do what I have to to keep her safe, regardless.”

“Two or I could Bite her,” Three offered nonchalantly, a half-smirk on his lips.

“He’s kidding!” One interrupted, stepping between the two Alphas before Four could take more than a single step towards the other Alpha. He glanced over at Three. “You  _were_ kidding, right?”

Three’s smirk slid off of his face. “If it would help, if it would keep her safe, I would Bite her in a nanosecond.  _N_ _ot_ sexually,” he added with a glare before either of his packmates could say anything. “She’s young enough to be my _daughter_ , or little  _sister_. Ew.”

Four made himself take a couple more deep breaths to calm himself; he could also scent Three’s honesty, and the protectiveness when he thought about Five being in danger, and the disgust at thinking of Five in a sexual way.

It was still getting odd scenting emotions, and probably would always be odd.

One tugged Three to start walking again, motioning with his head for Four to join them.  “Does Five being pregnant cause any hiccups in the Claiming process?”

“Seeing as the so-called father is deceased, the baby will be mine once I’m able to claim Five.” Four replied, scowling. “If he was still alive, he could fight for the  Claiming Right of Five in court.”

“Gods-fucked, shit-headed, Hells-damned laws and enforcers!” Three growled under his breath. “And Marica said this was a liberal city?!”

OoOoO

Two’s second-story room had a built-in window seat which overlooked the attached gardens and walking path, the top of a lilac tree brushing the window ledge, sending its scent through the open window.

The window seat was where Two found Five after she showered; Four had left to file the Claiming paperwork, One had wanted to go shopping and Three insisted on accompanying him. Six had to work.

Five had insisted she would be ok alone for a few minutes while Two showered, saying she needed time alone to think. Two had tried to insist on waiting until One and Three were back from their shopping spree (their poker tourney had roped in some of the clinic staff and even two visitors), but relented when Meg stuck her head in the door upon hearing raised voices and said she wouldn’t let a soul beside herself, Charlie, or Dean into the room until Two was out of the shower. With no other argument left, Two relented.

The woman Alpha stepped under the hot spray, sighing as the warmth spread and helped to ease her tense muscles.

However, it didn’t do a thing to ease her mind.

She had no idea of what she would do if she was in Five’s position; that is, if it was even possible for her to become pregnant, given her unusual biology.

But to keep the child which was the result of being raped…

…Two didn’t think she would have the strength. To hold and love the child, to be reminded of what had happened every single day?

Ultimately, it was Five’s decision – though technically it was up to her Alpha, Dean had told them apologetically, quoting yet another annoyingly outdated law – but when Five had been resting, they had all agreed instantly to leave the decision up to their Omega, and that they would support her on either decision.

After Dean had left them alone Three muttered about finding Wexler and Cain and killing them, something about castrating them, eviscerating them, and then showing them their beating hearts.

After she showered and dressed in black pants and top, and her black boots, she stepped quietly out of the attached bathroom into the large bedroom.

Five was still in the windowseat, a blanket over her lap, gazing out of the open window. The breeze gently tossed her teal locks around, brushing her pale cheeks. She was still so thin…

Her arms were wrapped around her stomach.

Hearing boots on the tile floor, Five turned to look at her. “Feel better, Two?”

“Yeah.” Two perched on the corner of the bed closest to Five. “How are you doing, Five? This has been… quite a lot this past month and a half.”

Five’s eyes dropped to the floor briefly. “My legs are starting to work, so that’s awesome.” she said quietly, a soft smile on her lips; it faded quickly. “As for the rest… I don’t know what to do.” Unconsciously, her arms tightened around her stomach. “With everything going on… I don’t know if it’s even safe to keep the baby. It would only slow us down, should we leave.”

“Do you want to leave?” Two questioned, slightly worried.

Five shrugged. “I want to stay with the crew.” She tried to smile again. “You guys are the only family I ever remember, no matter how dysfunctional we are.”

“AKA Three.” Said Two with a laugh.

Five giggled. “He is the biggest troublemaker, isn’t he?”

Two shook her head. “He’s trouble, he’s annoying as all Hells, and sometimes I want to shoot him. But he’s still part of our pack, and he’ll always be someone I want at my back in a fight.”

Five noticed Two’s slip of using ‘pack’ in place of ‘crew’, but decided not to point it out; she liked the thought of them staying together here, a pack of misfits. Six was already staying, and who knew if the Government would allow Three to leave (not like they could stop him if he really wanted to leave).

“Do you want to stay here?”

Two frowned, thinking. Finally she said slowly, “I desperately want to know who I am, _what_ I am, and I won’t find the answers here, more than likely.” She closed her eyes. “But, post mindwipe, I have never felt more  _me_ , more alive, than I have since we got here. I like who I am here, and I like being here.”

Deep down, she had always known. It just took time for her to actually think it, let alone put it into words to one of her packmates.

“I’m staying.”

A smile broke out on Five’s face. “Really? You promise?”

Two knelt down in front of Five, and placed a hand over the Omega’s own on her stomach. “I promise.”

“Will you Claim me?” She asked in a rush. “If Four’s paperwork can’t go through fast enough? Just the Bite, I mean. You know. “She blushed. “I just.. I don’t want to be taken away from you guys.” Her blush deepened, and she looked away. “If you wouldn’t mind Claiming me, that is.”

“Hey.” Two gently turned Five’s face until she met her eyes. “I don’t mind in the least. I will Claim you, if Four is unable to. I’m not letting _anyone_ take you away from me, from us, ever, ever again.”

A tear slipped down Five’s cheek, and a gust of wind tossed a lock of hair onto it, sticking it there. With a wet laugh, the Omega brushed it away. “Thank you! Thank you so, so, so much, Two!” Awkwardly, she through her arms around Two, making herself almost fall out of the windowseat.

Two caught her and sat her upright again. “You don’t need to thank me, Five. You’re important to me, my little sister, my friend. I’m not letting them separate us and take you away. And the baby, should you decide to keep it.”

The smile left Five’s face. “I still can’t decide. It’s not the child’s fault, how it came into being… but at the same time, like I said, how safe would it be for the child, even if we do stay here?”

“You and the baby will be safe, regardless of whether I Claim you, or Four does.” Two told her firmly.

Five’s brow wrinkled. “But… do you really think Four will want a child around? And… how does the Claiming even _work_?! Does he still have to Bite me, or do I have to have a tag” – she waved at the plum leather collar still around her neck – “or a tattoo, or what?! What’s to stop another Alpha from taking me, and taking the baby?”

Two took Five’s hands in her own, rubbing them when she found them to be cold. “I think it’s up to the Alpha,” she said slowly. “I’ve seen Omegas with tags on their collars, and a few with brands. But their Alphas look like they’re old school,” she added hurriedly when she saw the look of horror on Five’s face. “A tattoo I’ve also seen. And Jared, his collar has Marica’s name etched into it.”

Five squirmed a little. “I’d… rather do that. How does that keep another Alpha from just removing the collar, though?”

Two shrugged, squeezing Five’s hands in reassurance. “I don’t know. But I will find out. I'm also sure Four will not force you to get a tattoo or brand; he'll take into account what you want to, Five. You know that.”

"I know." Five said softly as she leaned back, her head clunking painfully against the wall as she sighed. “I’m scared, Two.” She said softly.

“Don’t be.” Two told her firmly, tightening her grip on the girl's hands. “We will not lose you, not again.”

“No, not that.” Five replied. “Well, that does scare me, a lot. But.. that’s not what I meant.” She touched her stomach. “I’m really considering keeping the baby.” She looked up at Two. “I don’t know how to raise a baby.”

Two smiled. “I don’t think any first-time moms ever do.” She hugged Five. “If you decide to keep the baby, we’ll figure it out. Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? should she keep the baby? If she does, boy or girl?
> 
> Thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, and kudoing! (is that even a word? Didn't think so. Oh well!)


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet!

Two days after filing the Claiming paperwork, Four watched as the physical therapist –  an Alpha named Oliver, and his Omega assistant Felicity – whose deep green collar, engraved with Oliver’s name, which should have clashed with her bright colored scrubs, but somehow didn’t – guiding Five slowly down the hall away from the pack’s room to the physical therapy suite. One was following behind, refusing to let the Omega out of his sight.

That had been a short argument with Oliver, who didn’t understand why none of them would trust him with Five’s safety.

“We don’t trust anyone outside of our pack.” Two had informed him. “She’s been raped, kidnapped and experimented on, and threatened by people we trusted in the past few months, both prior to our arrival here and here.”

It was showing him the package and threat it had contained which finally made Felicity pull Oliver aside and argued with him sternly until he held up his hands in surrender, much to the entire Raza Pack’s amusement. Oliver might be a very powerful Alpha, but his Omega had him wrapped around her little finger.

They were allowed to come with after that, as long as they stayed out of the way of her rehab. After she had cried out in pain and Two had almost attacked Oliver, only One and Six were allowed to come with.

Five was able to walk partially unaided, though she was still using a cane if she was walking more than a handful of meters. It was more progress than anyone could have hoped, including Dean and the Doctor, who was ecstatic at how fast she was healing.

Four was feeling anxious, a feeling he despised. More than anxious… he was afraid. He was tempted to call or visit the OPB office, but at the same time didn’t want to upset those who worked there so they would purposely delay the paperwork as a form of revenge.

“I’m going out,” he muttered to Two and Three, grabbing one of his swords. He took the staircase which led to the roof, something Meg had showed him when she caught him practicing sword patterns in the garden. The roof was far more private, something he was grateful for when he needed to think, as he did now.

There was still an entire day before the deadline, Four tried to tell himself as the sword in his hands started singing through the air, casting dancing shadows in the rooftop. There was plenty of time for the Claiming to be passed through the right hands and be approved.

_But since when has anything gone right for you, or any of the crew?_

Four growled, swinging the blade in faster, more complicated patterns. He always tried to see any way things could happen, could go wrong, and have contingency plans for each and every one of them, good or bad.

Not to mention, the pessimist in him was right; not much had ever gone right with any of them post mind-wipe, not to mention what little they did know from before.

He still wanted to leave and go back to his home planet, still wanted to clear his name and bring justice to his step-mother and brother for killing his father, branding him as the assassin and placing a target – not to mention a hefty bounty – on his head. But revenge would mean leaving, and the only way he could leave would be if the Claiming paperwork went through, and he could assign Two – or Gods forbid, _Three_ – as her Alpha in his absence.

But if it didn’t go through, and he was forced to Bite her…

Not that he would need to be forced, not really. He would do what he needed to do to keep Five safe, and if that meant not leaving…

If he was being honest with himself, giving up his vengeance would be difficult.

 _Then just let Two or Three bite her,_ his brain supplied unhelpfully. _If they’re her Alpha, then you can leave and do as you’ve always wanted._

His sword was becoming a blur of motion as he slashed, blocked, and spun, fighting the invisible opponents, jaw clenched in anger, torn in indecision, raging at the past and present.

If the Claiming paperwork didn’t go through, he could always ask Two to Bite Five. He knew she would; he had been getting the feeling more and more that the Guardvuk Alpha wasn’t planning on leaving, despite her deep-seated curiosity of her origins. She deeply cared about Five, and would never hurt her.

Something between amusement and horror flitted through Four’s mind at the thought of Three having to Claim Five. The Feral Alpha would Claim her, he knew. Just like Two, he would protect her.

Gods knew he already had, Four thought with a shudder at the reminder of the laboratory the three had been found in.   

Out the corner of his eye, Four caught sight of a glimmer of teal in the sunlight by the door leading from the building underneath him. Four sat on the vent near the door, watching him; the cane was on the ground next to her.

She was alone.

“Did you come up here on your own?”

She grinned. “Yup. I convinced Oliver and Felicity to let One take me back, and he had to visit the bathroom. So I snuck up here.”

Four shook his head as he sheathed his sword. “Are you strong enough to climb stairs? What if you fell?”

Five made a face. “I’m getting better every day. And I took breaks as I needed them.” She got to her feet and slowly walked to the edge of the roof and leaned on the rail, leaving the cane behind.

When Four joined her, she turned and asked him, “Have you heard about the Claim you filed?”

He shook his head. “No. If I don’t hear anything by this afternoon I’m going to go and visit their office.”

Five returned her gaze to the city. “I talked to Two a few days ago.” she said suddenly. “I asked her to Bite me if the paperwork is delayed.”

Stuffing down the hurt he felt at her sudden statement, Four replied, “Is there a reason you don’t want me to Bite you?”

“I just…” she trailed off, thinking. “I don’t want you bound here, to me, when you have somewhere to go.” She said after a moment. “With the Claiming paperwork, you were able to put down other Alphas to leave me with, correct?”

Four nodded wordlessly.

She continued, “With that, you could leave. With a Bite…” she shrugged. “From everything I’ve read, and been told, it only holds if the Alpha is still a resident. Given, after the Bite, you could still file a Claim, and add Two and Three to the list of my owners, but that takes weeks, if not months.”

“We won’t own you.” Four growled.

“According to the law, you do.” She told him, finally looking over at him. “Why do you think the laws state you’re allowed to leash your Omega, to brand them, to make them dress a certain way? To make them sterile? It’s not out of the goodness of the heart, or because us Omegas want it.” She turned away from him.

“Hey.” He gently turned her chin so she was looking at him again. “I will never force you to do anything against your will like that, _ever_. Neither will Two, or even Three. You are important to us as _you_ , as Five, not an Omega to parade around, cook and clean, and to sleep with.”

After reading everything he had in the Claiming application, Four had started paying more attention to the Omegas he saw in the streets. Some, with or without their Alpha. He had started to notice the happy ones, occasionally ones who were leashed, but they appeared healthy and content, going about their business, or accompanying their Alpha as they did theirs.

The unhealthy ones bore bruises, were thin, were walking around in ill-kept or revealing clothing, their eyes empty and dead.

He swore to himself that Five would never, ever end up like that.

OoOoO

Four had to help Five back down the stairs, and by the time they reached the main level her whole body was shaking and she was sweating from the exertion. Snagging a spare wheelchair from the nurse’s station Four made her sit down.

“Do you want to push yourself so badly you backslide in your rehab?” he finally demanded when she wouldn’t stop arguing that she could walk the rest of the way.

She stayed silent after that, eyes downcast.

When they reached Two’s rooms, they found One bent over on one of the two couches, arms wrapped around his stomach; Three was beside him, face torn between concern and amusement.

“One?” Five asked worriedly, trying to get out of the wheelchair. “What’s wrong?”

One looked up, wincing. “I feel like someone’s cleaning my insides with a wire brush.” He paused. “And… my crotch feel like it’s being cut open with a hot knife.”

“Two’s getting a doctor.” Three informed them, keeping One upright when his whole body seized painfully. “This started suddenly just a couple of minutes ago.”

Four pulled Five – whom he had kept seated in the wheelchair –  out of the doorway right as Charlie and Dean came in, the former parking a wheeling gurney outside the door; Two followed close behind.

Between clenched teeth, One repeated his symptoms. Dean drew out a filled syringe and showed it to all of them. “”This is a pain-reliever,” he informed them. “From what One is describing, it sounds as if he is… for lack of a better term, going through male Omega puberty.” When they all stared at him, he added, “He’s developing reproductive organs, and going through his first menstrual cycle.”

Five tried and failed to swallow a snicker, hand clamped over her mouth; Three didn’t even bother to hide his amusement.

“He’s having his first _period?!_ ”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI Chapter 14 has an added Explicit scene between One and Three!
> 
> Trigger Warning: mention of pregnancy from rape

After Dean injected One with the pain reliever, he and Charlie helped him to stagger over to the waiting gurney and get settled.

“I’d like for one of you to accompany him,” Dean said to the rest of the Raza Pack. “To keep an eye on him, keep him distracted, make sure he drinks a lot of water, eats something, et cetera.”

_“Not_ Three!” came the firm request from the hallway. “…Five? Would you mind?”

Five worked her way out of the wheelchair, grabbing the cane from Four when he frowned at her for getting to her feet. “Sure, I’ll come.”

As things ended up, One got the same room at the end of the hall as where Five spent the majority of her recovery, though he wasn’t in any condition to notice, or care. The rest of the Pack tried to follow Five in, but Five kicked everyone out after Three couldn’t stop laughing; Six wasn’t much better, and even Two’s eyes were alight with amusement, though she did smack the back of the Feral’s head as they were leaving, much to his indignancy, sending an unnoticed look of apology to the Inquara.

“How the bloody Hells do you women go through this one a month for the majority of your life?!” One groaned after they left. He was currently curled on his side in the fetal position, one of Five’s hands clasped tightly in his own.

Five squeezed One’s hand reassuringly. “Pain drugs, whenever possible.” She informed him with a small smile. “It does eventually become bearable, if that helps. On occasion I’ve had a cycle where it didn’t hurt at all.” Trying to be funny, she added, “Normally I’d say I feel you, but you’re on your own for next several months.”

The injection of pain medication Dean had given One had helped to being the pain down to a tolerable level, but it was still very uncomfortable.

Then her words caught up with his fuzzy brain. “Wait, you’re keeping the baby?”

Hesitantly, Five nodded. “I think so, yes.”

One caught hold of her hand before she could slip it from his grasp. “I’m in no place to judge you one way or the other, Five. It’s your choice, as it should be. I am here for you, no matter what.”

It took a moment for Five to lift her eyes and meet One’s gaze. “Really?”

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Yes. You’re my friend, and I care about you. I will stand with you support your decision.” A wince crossed his features.

Five rubbed his arm comfortingly. “Thank you, One. You don’t know what that means to me.” She sighed. “It’s still so strange to be friends, to have friends. I don’t remember the kids I was ganged up with before the mindwipe; maybe we were friends. I don’t know. But having you guys… it’s the best thing in the world.”

Two found the two cuddled together a few hours later.

OoOoO

The Beta male employee at the Omega Claiming and Bondage office was trying to hold his ground behind his desk.

“I’m sorry, sir. There were some further questions they had for you. I don’t know why they didn’t get the paperwork over to you; the logs show it was hand-delivered to the clinic! It was even signed for!”

Four leaned threateningly on the edge of the desk, blood thumping loudly in his ears. “Well I didn’t get it!” he snarled. “And because of that, you’re telling me I need to start the whole Claiming Application process over again?!”

“N-no, sir. Not exactly.” The Beta was starting to wring his hands. “The original paperwork won’t need to be re-filed, just the addendum!”

“And how long,” growled Four, “will it take this addendum take to be processed?!”

The Beta winced. “Th-three to five days.”

“ _What?!”_

“Is there a problem here?”

A male Alpha emerged from one of the rear offices.

Four scowled. “You could say that. Because your office failed to get the proper paperwork to me, I now need to refile it and you’re telling me that it’ll take at least three days, if not more, when we’re already on day two of the original paperwork? If it’s not approved by tomorrow, the government will seize her!”

“We delivered the paperwork to the address you listed on the original Claiming application.” The other Alpha replied coolly. “It is not our problem if it didn’t get to you.” He grabbed the file off of the Beta’s desk and flipped it open. “It was signed for by a Thomas Riddle. You have a problem, take it up with him, and with the owner of the clinic for not managing his employees properly.” He flung the file back onto the Beta’s desk, causing the other man to jump. “So, you can either refile the paperwork and hope she’s not assigned an Alpha by the Government, or you can Bite your Omega. Your choice.”

 He stormed back to his office and slammed the door shut without another word.

Furious, Four filled out the two page addendum, scowling at the black and white text, with ridiculous questions like **_Where will you keep you Omega? How will you discipline you Omega? Do you want a prescription for Heat inducers?_** And other ridiculous questions.

Throwing the pen down onto the desk when he was finished, Four hissed, “Next time, only leave the paperwork with Meg, or with Charlie. Otherwise you won’t like the next time I have to come and visit this place!”

“I’m sorry.” The Beta murmured, with a hasty glance to make sure the Alpha had closed the door. “You should know, that Alpha, Gilligan, he’s… interested, in your Omega. And he has a friend who works in the government’s Omega Seizure and Confiscation Office. They’re both bad, bad news.”

OoOoO

Two got Four’s clipped message to meet her and only her on the roof of the Clinic. She found him standing near the west wall, watching the sun set, hands clasped so tightly behind him that the knuckles were white.

“Was there a problem with the paperwork?” she asked cautiously.

He scoffed humorlessly. “You could say that. Apparently, there was some more paperwork to be filled out, so it was brought here and left at the front desk. Only I never got it!”

“Did you question the front desk yet?” Two questioned, voice hard; if he hadn’t, _she_ would.

“Yeah. Turns out the male Beta who signed for it didn’t show up for work today.” Four told her grimly. “And they haven’t been able to reach him.”

“So either he was paid to not deliver it to us…”

“…or he’s also the one who took the hair clipping from Five, and is working with Lucas.” Four finished, finally turning to face Two. “Either way, the paperwork will take three to five _more_ days to process and approve.” He quickly gave her a rundown of the entire events.

Two felt her heart squeeze painfully. “Then one of us has to Bite her. There’s no way in Hells they’re getting their hands on her.” She said firmly, before softening her voice. “I know you’re still torn, Four. I know you still wanted to leave, that’s why the Claiming application was so important, because you could leave her under my and Three’s protection.”

“But now I have no choice,” Four retorted.

“You have every choice!” spat Two, glaring at the other Alpha. “If you feel you must leave, then leave! You know Five and the rest of us will support you, and you know I am more than willing to claim Five, and you know I will protect her with my life.”

Four ran a hand over his short – but slowly growing – hair. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered. “But I – we – need to decide, fast. The Beta I spoke with today warned be before we left that the Alpha who came out has a friend who works with the government’s Omega Seizure and Confiscation Office – and that he was interested in Five. We don’t know when tomorrow they’ll show up for her. We don’t have a whole lot of time to decide.”

“So she needs to be Bitten tonight.”

“Yes.”

OoOoO

Three knew something was up when he and Six couldn’t find Two, Four, or Five, and none of them were answering their comms. The only thing they found was a hand-written note from Two in One’s room telling them not to worry, that three of them were having a private conversation somewhere – well, private, and that they would let the rest of them know what was going on soon as possible.

“You don’t think there was a problem with Five’s pregnancy, do you?” One asked worried from his bed, looking like he was ready to get up and tear apart the clinic to find Five.

Three shook his head as he paced, waving a hand at the Inquara to stay in his bed. “I doubt it. If that was the case I doubt they would’ve included just Four.” He ran a hand over his face; the Beast inside of him was pacing as well, worried about the little Omega, and not totally buying the tale his human form was spinning for their two worried packmates. “No, this… this probably has something to do with the Claiming paperwork Four filed to Claim Five.”

Which was almost if not worse than a problem with her pregnancy. _That_ thought made the Beast growling lowly.

“Oh, gods.” Six groaned, leaning his head back against the wall. “Can’t anything _ever_ go right for us?”

“We don’t know if that’s why they’re AWOL, maybe they went out baby-shopping or something.” One said in an empty attempt to cheer the other to men up, or at least calm them down.

Suddenly Three smacked his head. “I’m such an idiot – ”

“Oh, so _now_ you admit it – ” One started to say before Three interrupted him back.

“ _As I was saying,_ I’m an idiot.” Three touched his finger to his comm device, ever-present in his – and all of their – ears since the day they’d received the package threatening Five. “Android, you there?”

_“I’m here, Three. What do you need?”_

“I need you to track down Two, Four, and Five’s comm devices and tell me where they are.”

_“I’m afraid I cannot do that.”_ Replied the Android.

Panic flashed in One’s eyes, and Six got to his feet.

“And why not?” Three growled.

_“Because Two asked me not to tell you, One, or Six where they are._ ” The Android informed him. _“Her, Four and Five needed to have a private conversation.”_

“So they’re together at least?” One asked before Three could say something rude.

_“Yes, One, they’re together. But that is all I can say.”_

“Can you pass a message on to her Highness?” demanded Three.

_“Of course.”_

“Tell her she’s really pissed me off!”

“And tell her we’re worried about them, and what’s going on.” Six added.

“And to let us know what’s going on as soon as possible.” One said, tacking his own two cents on for good measure.

_“I will pass your messages on to her. If she wants to respond, I’m sure she’ll contact you directly.”_

Three muttered something under his breath that was more than likely R rated or worse, but One couldn’t make out what it was, for which he was thankful. Three’s mouth got worse when he was angry and stressed, and right now he was both.

OoOoO

Two helped Five climb the stairs to the roof.

“There’s something wrong, isn’t there?” Five asked as they climbed the last set of stairs. “Bad news?”

Two tried to give her a hopeful smile. “Just a change to the plan. Four and I will explain, don’t worry.”

Four had raided the linen closet for the thickest, fluffiest blankets he could find and made a sort of nest on the roof, and found a couple of muted lanterns, placing them around the nest, their soft glow almost not needed with the light of the stars and two half-moons overhead.

Once they were settled, Five looked nervously from one of them to the other. “There was a problem with the Claiming paperwork.” She said it as a statement, not a question. Their looks told her all she needed to know.

Four sighed heavily. “The Beta I spoke with today told me apparently there was a form that wasn’t given to me originally to fill out and file with the rest of it, and when it was delivered here that same day, it never reached us. Quite likely on purpose; the Beta here who signed for it didn’t show up for work today, and no one has been able to reach him yet.”

“Can’t they take that into consideration?” asked Five. “Delay the deadline?”

“No.” Four told her. “It’ll take at least two days more for them to process it.” He didn’t feel the need to tell her of the Alpha at the office who had a personal interest in seeing her seized by the government, because he himself was interested in getting her for himself.

“So one of you has to Claim me, and very soon.”

Two nodded. “Yes. Tonight, in fact. I’m sorry.” She glanced at Four, who nodded. “Four and I have talked about the situation at length, and came to an agreement. But we will only proceed if you agree to it as well.”

Five, feeling slightly nervous, looked from Two, to Four, and back again. “O…K? What’s the plan?”

“We both Bite you.” Four said, reaching out to take Five’s hand in his own. “I looked it up, and talked to Dean about it. Two Alphas can Claim Bite an Omega and share equal rights to that Omega. It is very, very rare, but it is recognized as legal. And since Two is a Guardvuk Alpha, it would be seen as even more binding.”

Two took Five’s free hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We will both protect you, and you will never, ever be mistreated by us. Things won’t change much, if at all wherever we can manage it, I promise you. But the ultimate decision is yours.”

Five eyed them carefully. “Are both of you sure?” she asked finally.

“Yes.”

“Of course!”

The Omega smiled. “Then, yes.”

Two smiled in relief. “Thank you for trusting us, Five. Are… are you ready to do it now?”

Five nodded hesitantly. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“It’ll hurt, and I’m sorry about that.” Two told her as she knelt on one side of the Omega, Four on the other side.

“Pain from being Bitten beats being taken away from you guys.” Five replied firmly. “I’ll manage.”

Four brushed her teal hair away from her neck with a gentle touch, then he reached up and removed her collar, setting it aside.

Two touched the Omega’s cheek with a gentle hand before reaching around Five to take her hand, and Four’s, in her own. “We’ll do it at the same time,” Two whispered. “Get it over as quickly as we can.”

Five gave them a shaky smile, fearful but resolved. “I’m ready.”

Four and Two closed their eyes, and turned their attention inwards.

It was oddly easy to find the Alpha power, especially with his nose almost buried in his Omega’s hair, his free hand threaded through the teal locks as he inhaled her scent. He could almost taste the sweetness of her skin as he ghosted his lips along her skin, feeling her heartrate skyrocket as she gasped when he grazed her with his teeth.

_Mine._

_Protect._

_Mate._

_Omega._

_Mine._

_Mate._

_Protect!_

She was _his_. He was hers. He wanted her as his own. He _wanted_ to mate with her, he realized. When she was ready – if she ever was ready – he would take her fully as his own. He would have her rolling beneath him, keening with desire as she came. He would taste all she had to offer before he would bury himself as deep as he could within her.

If not… if she could never get to that place…

Then she was still his, and he would protect her, hold her close, no matter what. He would respect her, protect her, guard her.

He would love her.

He could feel his teeth become sharp, so much so that his lip began to bleed. He could feel the thrum of power in his veins; he was ready.

OoOoO

Two felt Four starting to shake, and his skin grew hot and damp. She could feel the power radiating off of him; he was almost there.

She herself could feel the power of her own Alpha nature, but it wasn’t burning hot like Four’s was; it was cool, icy, and dark. She mimicked what she could feel he was doing, inhaling Five’s Omega scent, her nose in her hair, mouth hovering above the skin of Five’s neck.

_Mine._

_Omega._

_Sister._

_Protect._

_Pack._

_Omega._

_Protect._

_Mine!_

The protectiveness and possessiveness which burst into her, raging under her skin wasn’t romantic and sexual like she could scent part of Four’s was (along with love and companionship) but also something similar to maternal, but not.

_Sister._

_Mine!_

So this is what it was like to be a Guardvuk Alpha. She was about to well and truly form her own family, her own pack. She would sacrifice anything to keep her Omega, her Pack, safe. She would kill, anyone.

Gods help anyone who brought harm to Five.

She distantly felt Four squeeze her hand; he was ready.

So was she.

She squeezed back, and bit.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts?


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: violence

As they had been warned, Five passed out from the flood of the Claiming magic (in a world of science and space travel, who would have thought there was there was such a thing as _magic_?) as soon as both Alphas pulled back; Two caught Five as she crumpled and Four fell backwards, feeling suddenly completely exhausted.

“You ok there, Four?” Two asked as she carefully laid Five onto the nest of blankets and covered her with the warmest one, brushing a stray strand of her teal hair out of her face.

Four shook his head, more to clear it than to confirm a negative. After blinking a few times, he said, “Yes, I believe so.” He pushed himself upright, eyes on the Omega. “Is Five alright?”

Two placed a hand on top of the Omega’s head. “She’s unconscious, but both Bites have already healed, just like Dean said they would.”

Four looked down at Five, making out both Bite marks he and Two had left on their youngest packmate’s neck. They would be mostly visible above her collar, which was a good thing, but he was already planning on getting both his and Two’s names engraved on the leather.

“If you want to take her back to your room, I’ll take care of all of these” Four waved his hands to indicate the blankets and lanterns “and come to check on her once I’m finished.”

“If Three or Six are there, I’ll come back up and help you.” Said Two. “They’re probably pacing themselves into a panic, not knowing where we went, especially at night.”

They both winced, recalling the last time they had been split up at night.

Two wrapped the blanket around Five with Four’s help before picking the light Omega up into her arms, the collar back in place around her neck. Four trotted ahead of her and got the heavy door leading from the stairwell to the roof for her before returning to their rooftop nest.

True to prediction, Six was pacing a path into the floor of Two’s suite, and Three desperately looked like he wanted to be doing the same, but was unable to move due to his lap being turned into a pillow for the resting One, still sick and in pain from the start of his first cycle.

“Where the bloody Hells have you guys been?!” Six demanded, his voice low and harsh. “And not letting the Android let us know where you were? What was that all about?!”

Two settled Five on the huge bed before turning around to face the Beta. “We needed privacy, Six.”

Three sniffed the air, and stiffened, placing a protective hand over One. “You fucking _Bit_ her, didn’t you?! How could you do that to her, after all that she’s been through?!”

One, awoken by the noise, grabbed Three’s wrist when the Feral Alpha went to move the Inquara and get to his feet. “She smells of blood and Alpha, not sex! Three, you can perform the Bite without sex, remember? Calm down!”

Three got up anyways.

Too late, Two realized her mistake of not telling the others of her and Four’s plans to Bite Five and explain things as she stared into the yellow eyes of full-on growling Feral Three, hands stiff and clawed, body crouched, and she was fearfully reminded of her mental comment to herself that she never, ever wanted to have to face down a Feral Three.

Well, shit.

One jumped between them before Three could take more than a single step towards the other Alpha. “Three, listen to me! Five’s ok! She – ” he words were cut off when the Feral Alpha grabbed him by his throat.

The scent of the man’s fear swamped the room, but somehow he managed to remain calm enough to motion to Two and Six to not move.

“Three, it’s me.” He whispered. “Look at me. Look at me damn it!”

Slowly, the Feral Alpha went from staring with smoldering rage at Two to meeting the Inquara’s worried eyes.

“She’s ok, Three. They didn’t hurt her.” One placed his hands on Three’s wrists. “Look at her, smell her. She’s unharmed. They did what they had to do to protect her – you heard Four earlier, didn’t you?”

Three blinked a few times at One, his gaze flickering over to the resting Omega and back again to One. “Paperwork… too long…”

One attempted to nod. “Yes. They would have taken her away from us if they hadn’t Bitten her.”

Three gasped, blinking rapidly as he released One’s neck and stepped back as if he had been burned.

His eyes shifted back to normal.

“One?” he whispered. “I – I – ”

One grabbed Three’s wrists again, this time to stop the Alpha from fleeing the room. “It’s ok, Three. _I’m_ ok. You didn’t hurt me.” He motioned to his neck, which was barely red. “You wanted me to move, not to hurt me.” He squeezed his hands. “I’m fine, Three. If you really wanted to hurt me, I think you would have, and right now you would’ve been fighting Two and Six.”

As if to counter what he said, One suddenly wince painfully, and his legs gave out from underneath him, and was only saved from hitting the ground by Three’s quick reaction time.

“One?!”

“’m ok,” he muttered, an arm wrapped around his stomach, forehead creased. “Just... ran out of adrenaline.”

“I’ll go and get Meg,” Six said. “See if you can have another pain injection.”

“Great,” One muttered after Three had deposited him on the foot of the bed and crouched down in front of him, one hand on the Inquara’s waist, the other on his knee. “I’m about to be knocked on my ass for the next ten hours.”

It took some – read, a _lot_ – of convincing on One’s part, but Three finally grumblingly agreed that the two of them could stay with Five that night. Five, sensing through her sleep when One slid into the bed next to her reached out blindly and grabbed his arm and held on.

On the Inquara’s other side, Three officially gave up trying to hide their relationship and wrapped his arms around One’s waist, one of his hands barely touching where One and Five were connected.

He’s deny it, but after being connected to the both of them, his body relaxed, and the Beast settled – _Safe, they’re both safe mate and sister safe, safe, safe_ – and he was able to settle down enough to fall asleep, surrounded by his pack – crew!

Damn Beast.

Said Beast snorted.

Six took the fold-out couch, requesting the Android wake him at five. “Extra shifts,” he informed Two when she pointed out tomorrow was supposed to be his day off. “Random Alphas have started going missing around the city, many from outside their homes. Marica’s been requesting extra patrols.”

“Does she think Lucas and the others have started to pick up where they left off?” Two asked, frowning.

“We’re not sure,” Six replied with a shrug as he settled down. “From what we can tell, no. The lab was discreet with their kidnappings, especially of the Alphas. These kidnappings are happening at all hours of the day, even in broad daylight.”

 If she was going to stay, Two decided as she waited up for Four, she might as well put herself to good use.

Tomorrow she would find Marica and see what she needed to do to join the City Guard as an Alpha.

Four frowned when he entered Two’s rooms, his nose picking up on the fading Feral pheromones. He raised a silent eyebrow at Two.

“Three thought we Bit Five in the ‘traditional’ sense.” Two told him quietly. “It took a little bit for One to get through to him.”

“Hm.” Four nodded in understanding. Then he yawned, twice.

Two motioned to the bed, trying to hide her amusement. “There’s more than enough room, Four. Join them.”

Four almost refused.

OoOoO

Five AM and Six found the five in bed. Three still had his arms wrapped around One, though one of his hands was holding one of Five’s, who had her forehead tucked under the Inquara’s chin, and their legs appeared to be tangled. Four had an arm carefully tucked around the Omega’s waist, and his back was pressed against Two’s back.

He quietly grabbed his gear and headed to the door, only to have it open silently right before he reached it.

Charlie was there, and peered inside. “I was going to check on Five,” she whispered to him, her eyes alight when she saw the pack cuddling. “But it can wait.”

After one last peek, Six left, smiling.

Four woke up when the door closed behind Six’s exit. He was warm, almost uncomfortably so, but he didn’t want to move.

Five was curled up in his arms, and her head was tucked under One, their arms and legs tangled, though Three was holding one of her hands in his own. The Alpha felt a brief flash of possessive rage, but let it fade when he pointedly reminded himself that the other male Alpha cared and loved their Omega like a little sister, and wasn’t touching her to hurt her, or to make Four jealous of angry but because it calmed him, and reassured him that she was safe.

He could also feel Two against his back, a solid, calming presence, and he didn’t feel in the least bit threatened at having such a dominant Alpha behind him. If anything, it was reassuring. She wasn’t a threat. She was a leader, a comrade, and a friend.

In his arms, Five stirred. He sat up to look at her.

She rubbed her eyes with her free hand, a soft groan in the back of her throat.

“How’re you feeling?” he asked quietly, sliding his hand up to rest at her waist, thumb rubbing gentle circles.

She rolled onto her back to look at him. “Four?” she blinded the sleep from her eyes, considering his question. “I’m ok,” she said after a moment. “A little drained and sore.” She touched her neck.

“You sure?”

She smiled. “Yes, mother hen, I’m sure.”

OoOoO

“What the Hells is your problem?!” One finally demanded over breakfast when all Three would do when any question or comment was directed to him and he would either glower or curse.

Three slammed his coffee onto the table. “I have to go and report the relapse to the bloody head shrink, that’s what!” he spat.

Everyone went quiet.

“If I don’t, and it shows up on the bloodwork I’ll be put on an even shorter leash than I already am!” he pushed himself away from the table. “Better go and get it over with,” he muttered. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Out in the hallway footsteps jogged to catch up with him.

One.

“What the Hells do you want, One?”

One smiled at him. “I’m going to go for a walk with you. I’ve been wanting to go out for a walk again.”

Three opened his mouth to either yell at One or tell him he didn’t want the company, but then closed his mouth and threw his hands up in surrender.

“Fine.”

OoOoO

“Do you mean it?” Five asked, her eyes alight with happiness.

Four smiled. “Yes, I mean it. I won a lot of credits from our last poker game, and I know you’d like something to do with your hands. I saw some vendors selling scrap machine parts and other computer parts, wires, and scraps when I was walking back from when I filed the initial paperwork and got lost. I know I could find it again. I’m sure they’ll have a lot of the tools you’ll need, too.”

Five bounced excitedly in her seat. “Thank you, Four! Thank you! I’ve missed having things to just tinker with here.” She turned to Two. “What’re you doing today, Two?”

Two had been watching the two interact with a smile when Five turned to her. “I have some stuff I need to talk to Marica about.” She replied. “And I was going to go and check on the Raza.”

Someone knocked on the doorframe. Dean stuck his head in. “How did it go?” he asked. “Do you mind if I take a look at the Bites? I can file the proper paperwork, establishing them both as official Bites by Alphas.”

Four helped Five remove her collar so the doctor could see the healed Bites.

“Both look good,” Dean said after examining both. “Should anyone question either of them, direct them to me.” He smiled as he stood. “I’m glad you both decided to do this, extra protection and all that.”

Two left shortly after Dean did, and Charlie waved away Five’s offer to help with the cleanup, having overheard their conversation about the mechanical vendors. “Go, and have fun! And take your cane, too, Five. I know you’ve been doing better, but just take it in case you get tired.”

Five rolled her eyes, but grabbed the offending metal stick, her collar back in place around her neck. She also grabbed her cross-body bag as Four grabbed his own pack, tucking the vast majority of the larger credits into a pouch around his neck and tucked under his loose shirt.

He desperately wanted to carry his sword or one of their larger guns, but didn’t want to draw attention to them any more than need be. The small gun at his waist, the knives in his boots and strapped to both forearms inside his sleeves – as well as himself – would have to do for weapons, should they need them.

They had to walk a little slower than the rest of the street traffic, though Four had to keep Five held back occasionally in her eagerness to be out and about, as well as on her way to some scrap vendors. But it was sunny without being overly hot, all in all a nice day for a walk.

He remembered where he had made the wrong turn originally, a burned-out husk of some shop that hadn’t been started to be cleaned up, let alone repaired.

“It’s just up ahead,” he told her, once again having to hold her back in her excitement. “we’ll get there soon en – ouch!” something stung him painfully on the neck. Reaching up, there was no bug.

There was a couple centimeter-long needle.

His vision swam.

Shit.

“Five, run!” he tried to shout, but all that came out was a rough gasp as his feet gave out from underneath him. He could see Five dropping to her knees next to him shouting his name. He tried to push her back the way they had come, trying to get her to understand he needed her to _run_ when two men came out of a narrow alley, one dropping a black hood over her head, the other seizing her wrists and binding them together.

_NO!_

He tried to get up, but his body wasn’t listening.

Someone grabbed his wrists, binding them just as Five’s had been. Blackness slipped over his vision, and he couldn’t tell if it was a hood of his own, or if he lost consciousness.

Then he passed out.

OoOoO

One, once again, placed a calming hand on Three’s jumping leg. “Relax, man. You said this Castiel was cool, didn’t you?”

Three huffed. “As cool as a head shrinker can be, sure.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Takin’ longer than normal, though.”

There was a knock at the door. The male beta receptionist stuck his head in. “Sorry it’s taking so long. Castiel will be with you as soon as he can.” Without waiting for an answer, he shut the door again.

Less than a minute later, the Beast perked it’s ears.

Almost too quiet to notice, but it had.

A hissing noise.

Three got to his feet, looking around for the source.

One looked at him, confused and worried. “What is it?” he had stopped being dismissive of the Alpha’s instincts back in the lab.

Three ran an anxious hand through his hair. “I don’t – ” he cut himself off.

Behind the desk in this spare office, next to the floor to ceiling bookcase, at floor level, was a grate.

This hissing noise was coming from there. When he went over to investigate, he started coughing, and immediately felt light-headed.

“Gas!” he coughed, stumbling over to the door.

It was locked. Of course it was.

One had taken off his outer shirt and was holding it over his face; Three copied him before banging on the door. “Get this fucking open! You have a gas leak!”

Nothing.

“Let us – _cough_ – let us out!”

More coughing.

The air was becoming fogged.

One lost control of his legs, and collapsed.

“One!” Three dropped to his knees next to the Inquara. “One!”

One was keeping himself from completely falling over, but barely.

Three got to his feet again, and tried ramming the door with his shoulder.

Ouch. The ‘wooden’ door was metal.

_Shit. Shit shit shit._

“Two! Four!”

Nothing but static.

_Not again, not again! No!_

One fell over limply.

Three dropped to his knees, intent on pulling the man into his arms, but his vision swam.

Then it went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of Part Two! Part Three will be coming in the next week or two.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with me through this!


	23. Chapter 23

Just an FYI! The intro chapter for the next arc is up! "Fight Or (No) Flight"!


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